Turkey: Massive unity march held in Istanbul July 15 /update 1

Event

A massive rally was held in Istanbul on Saturday, July 15, to mark the one year anniversary of the fail military coup. Tens of thousands of people marched to the July 15 Martyrs’ Bridge at 19:00 (local time). At approximately 21:00 President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in the city to unveil a memorial for the 250 people killed while resisting the coup. Events are planned to continue into Sunday, July 16. Expect increased security measures and significant traffic disruptions throughout Istanbul.

Context

On July 15, 2016, members of the Turkish military launched an attempted coup d'état against the government of President Erdogan. Large crowds, which reports indicated were largely opposed to the coup, gathered in Ankara, Istanbul, and other cities across the country, confronting soldiers and tanks. Some 300 people, including civilians, were killed in the ensuing violence.

Tensions have since been heightened across the country. Critics of Turkey's state of emergency, implemented after the failed coup, cite a heavy-handed crackdown on opposition elements across the country under the guise of national security. Over 50,000 people have been arrested under the state of emergency, including over 170 journalists and a dozen lawmakers. Over 140,000 public workers have been fired, including tens of thousands of civil servants, prosecutors, and teachers, and several thousand academics.

A constitutional referendum in April granting Erdogan additional powers has exacerbated the country's already-heightened sociopolitical tensions. Meanwhile, Turkey has suffered repeated bombings and other attacks since the establishment of Islamic State (IS) in neighboring Iraq and Syria, as well as since the 2015 collapse of a long-term ceasefire between the government and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged a three-decade insurgency for Kurdish autonomy. In recent months, the Turkish military has intensified its airstrikes and military operations against the PKK.

Advice

Individuals in Turkey are advised to avoid all demonstrations and rallies, follow any instructions issued by the local authorities, and carry proper identification at all times (e.g. passport).
Due to the prevailing threat of terrorism, report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities and maintain a high degree of vigilance, especially when visiting sites deemed particularly vulnerable to an attack (public transportation, train stations, ports, airports, public or government buildings, embassies or consulates, international organizations, schools and universities, religious sites, festivals, etc.). Some Western governments advise against travel to areas along the Syrian and Iraqi borders.