International NGOs and relief agencies operating in and from Turkey are watching for signs as to how President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s state of emergency declaration could impact their operations, employees, and missions, following an attempted coup on his government last week.
Although no aid organizations have yet found themselves ensnared in a subsequent crackdown on civil society, experts urged vigilance and suggested monitoring any rhetorical attacks in the local press. Erdogan could use the mostly pro-government media to test the reaction to linking international NGOs to the coup, said Steven Cook, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.
More than 10,000 people have been detained since some parts of the Turkish military attempted to take control of the government on July 15. Thousands of public and private sector employees have also been suspended or fired.