Turkey’s parliament extends state of emergency by 3 months

Turkey’s parliament approved extending the country’s state of emergency for another three months on Tuesday, reported the private NTV channel.

The previous day following a cabinet meeting, Government Spokesperson Numan Kurtulmus stated that the state of emergency would be extended for three more months effect from April 19.

The cabinet meeting on Tuesday took the National Security Council’s advice to extend the state of emergency.

Turkey declared a state of emergency on July 20, 2016, days after a failed military coup, which Ankara blames on the U.S.-based exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Under emergency rule, the government can bypass parliament and enact new laws, in addition to limiting or suspending pre-existing rights and freedoms.