Berlin/Vienna, July 19
The introduction of the death penalty in Turkey would consequently end the European Union (EU) accession negotiations, said German government spokesman Steffen Seibert on Monday in Berlin, a view which was later shared by Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern.
"Germany and the EU have a clear stance: We fundamentally reject the death penalty," Xinhua news agency quoted him as saying. He added that a country which had the death penalty could not be a member of the bloc.
Meanwhile, he called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's considerations of a return to the death penalty as "concerning".
Austrian Chancellor also warned Turkey saying that a reinstatement would mean "a departure from the basic democratic consensus", and as a result, "Turkey could not be a partner" in the union.
According to an Austria Press Agency report, he said that for now, one must wait and observe further developments in Turkey, and he hopes for the stabilisation of presently turbulent situation.
"Turkey can also not afford to close its doors. We need Turkey as a stable partner," he said.
After the failed coup attempt on Friday, Erdogan said on Sunday that Turkey would now consider reinstating the death penalty. Turkey abolished the practice in 2002 as part of its pursuit of EU membership, Xinhua news agency added.
Parts of the Turkish military had launched a coup on Friday night which was struck down a few hours later. Thousands of people were arrested, among them top army commanders, judges, and prosecutors. The Turkish government has already announced severe penalties for the insurgents.
Former Turkish Air Force Commander confesses to planning coup
Former Turkish Air Force Commander Gen. Akin Ozturk has confessed to planning the foiled coup, state Anadolu Agency reported on Monday.
Over 200 people died and 1,500 were wounded in the ensuing violence, and there have been mass arrests.
The state-run Anadolu news agency quoted Gen Akin Ozturk as telling interrogators he had "acted with intention to stage a coup".
But two private broadcasters said the general had denied playing a role, BBC reported.
NTV quoted him as saying: "I am not someone who has planned or directed the coup attempt... I don't know who did."
Anadolu said he was one of 112 generals and admirals who had been detained. Fifty had been remanded in custody pending trial, it added.
The interior ministry also reportedly dismissed almost 9,000 police officers on Monday, as part of a purge of officials suspected of involvement, BBC added.
That followed the arrest of 6,000 military personnel and suspension of almost 3,000 judges over the weekend.
The government has blamed the coup attempt on supporters of a US-based Muslim cleric, Fethullah Gulen.
Gulen has denied any involvement and suggested the coup may have been staged itself.
