- The Council of Ministers of the Republic of Turkey, presided by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan,declared a State of Emergency, under the article 120 of the Constitution and in accordance with the article 3 § 1 (b) of the Law on the State of Emergency (Law no. 2936), as from the 21^st of July 2016, for a duration of 3 months, with an aim to totally and swiftly eliminate the FETÖ (Fethullah Gülen Terrorist Organization) and all of its elements which attempted a coup to overthrow the democratically-elected Government and the Constitutional order in Turkey.

-The Decision of the Council of Ministers is as follows: “It has been decided on 20 July 2016 by the Council of Ministers that; pursuant to Article 120 of the Constitution and Article 3 § 1 (b) of the Law on the State of Emergency (Law no. 2935), a nationwide State of Emergency be declared from Thursday, July 21, 2016 01:00 for a period of ninety days, taking into account the recommendation dated 20 July 2016, no. 498 of the National Security Council.”

-Article 120 of the Constitution is as follows: “In the event of serious indications of widespread acts of violence aimed at the destruction of the free democratic order established by the Constitution or of fundamental rights and freedoms, or serious deterioration of public order because of acts of violence, the Council of Ministers, meeting under the chairmanship of the President of the Republic, after consultation with the National Security Council, may declare a State of Emergency in one or more regions or throughout the country for a period not exceeding six months.”

- Under the State of Emergency, the Republic of Turkey will act in accordance with the principles of democracy, human rights and rule of law and its obligations driving from international conventions. The democratic structure of the state shall be protected and the rule of law shall be upheld.

- FETÖ which staged this treason has dangerous undercover networks not only in theArmed Forces but also in several state organs. In the context of the ongoing measures for public order and security, a nation-wide State of Emergency was declared in accordance with our Constitution and in full observance of the European Convention on Human Rights.

- The State of Emergency is a measure permissible under the international conventions on human rights including theEuropean Convention on Human Rights,taken by many states when there is an imminent threat to their security and order, as it is the case with France who has recently extended for another six months the country wide State of Emergency. It is evident that Turkey is faced with serious and multi-dimensional security threats since 15^th
July.

-President Erdoğan, during his statement to the Nation on 20^th of July 2016, stated clearly that the objective of the State of Emergency was to take swift and effective measures to eliminate the immediate threat posed by FETÖ to our democracy, state of lawand the rights and freedoms of our citizens.