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12/21/14

Turkey: Erdogan defends crackdown on opponents

Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has defended the crackdown on his opponents, including an arrest warrant for US-based arch-foe Fethullah Gulen, saying it is a "clean" legal process.

Erdogan's remarks came amid criticism from the European Union, which has said the "operation goes against the European values and standards Turkey aspires to be part of", a reference to Turkey's ongoing bid to join the bloc.

In a speech in Istanbul on Friday, Erdogan denied there had been any "lynching" of opponents and said the arrests were linked to a "coup plot" led by Gulen aimed at ousting him from power.

"I have been watching this process closely as president of this country. Everything is lawful and in line with procedure ... a really diligent and clean process is going on at the moment," Erdogan said in the televised speech.

"The police and judiciary are not repeating the mistakes of the past," he added.

 read more: Erdogan defends crackdown on opponents - Europe - Al Jazeera English

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