Ankara. Istanbul: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey could hold a referendum on reinstating the death penalty, if parliament fails to pass such a measure.
Erdogan made the comment on Friday while campaigning for a “yes” vote in a referendum on whether to expand his powers.
Since a failed coup in July, Erdogan has frequently told supporters who call for the death penalty at his rallies that he would sign off on any parliamentary vote to restore capital punishment.
On Friday, he went a step further, saying a referendum could be held if parliament fails to reinstate it.
Turkey abolished the death penalty more than a decade ago. European leaders say talks on Turkey’s bid to join the European Union would end if Ankara restores the death penalty.
Meanwhile, Turkey’s prime minister said convicts with lighter sentences would be reassigned to open prisons to make room for the tens of thousands of arrests following July’s coup.
Binali Yildirim told reporters that “there is some overcrowding due to the fight against terror,” and the reassignment policy would not apply to major crimes such as terrorism, organised crime or child abuse.
The Ministry of Justice revised its regulation on Wednesday allowing for convicts sentenced to less than 10 years who achieve at least one month of good behaviour could be reassigned to more comfortable open prisons.
Yildirim insisted the move was not an amnesty, and the length of the prison sentence would not change.
Over 41,000 people have been arrested during the state of emergency following the coup.
