Turkey dismisses 227 judges, prosecutors

Turkey’s top judicial body on Monday dismissed 227 judges and prosecutors who are accused of having links to a cleric blamed for last year’s coup attempt, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
Since the failed coup in July, 2016, 3,886 members of the judiciary have been expelled.
The government blames the putsch on Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based Turkish preacher and one-time ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and his followers. Gulen denies the accusations.
Turkey has jailed more than 43,000 people since July on allegations of ties to the Gulenist movement and fired tens of thousands of civil servants and members of the security forces.
Trials have started in the cases of soldiers who took part in the coup, with some denying they have links to Gulen, according to local media reports from the courts.
Turkey heads to a referendum on April 16 in which voters will decide on whether to expand Erdogan’s powers.
Opposition groups warns checks and balances would be eroded.