Ozan Kose, AFP | A sign at a plot on the outskirts of Istanbul reads "Traitors' Cemetery" in Turkish

Turkish authorities have created a special cemetery to bury the alleged plotters of the July 15 coup attempt, so that "passersby will curse them", in a move that has sparked criticisms from human rights groups.

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Even the dead won’t escape Turkey’s purge.

At an empty plot of land on the outskirts of the sprawling Turkish city of Istanbul, a makeshift sign stuck in the mud reads, “Hainler Mezarligi”, Turkish for “traitors’ cemetery”.

Only one body lies here thus far. But three more graves have been freshly dug, ready for three more of the 24 alleged plotters who died in the failed coup.

"Just looking at this sign gives you chills,” said a passerby, who declined to be named. “Not just Turkey, but nowhere in the world can one ever see a sign like this. This means our authorities, our government thinks that this is what they deserved."

The cemetery is not yet open to the public, but Istanbul mayor, Kadir Topbas, plans to do just that so that “passersby will curse those who lie there and let them not rest in their tombs.”

‘They shouldn't be placed near our dogs’

Next to the plot is a shelter for some of Istanbul’s many stray dogs. “They shouldn't be placed near our dogs, they shouldn't be anywhere in Turkey. They should be cremated and their ashes tossed into the ocean," said Serhan Baturay, a volunteer at the animal shelter.

The government has also issued a directive denying the alleged coup plotters funeral rites.

It’s all part of a post-coup crackdown that human rights groups such as Amnesty International have condemned. "Such moves are contributing to what is a pretty poisonous atmosphere and a dangerous atmosphere," said Andrew Gardner, Amnesty International’s Turkey researcher. "Denying people religious services and decent burial is a basic denial of people's rights."

This cemetery is part of a crackdown that has already seen around 60,000 people detained or suspended from their jobs. But that has not decreased the overwhelming support for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose popularity ratings are only increasing.

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