Thousands continue to protest against Turkish referendum result
Thousands of people took to the streets in Turkish cities on Tuesday evening to protest the result of the controversial referendum which is set to hand extensive new powers to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The protesters gathered in the cities of Istanbul, the capital Ankara, the western city of Izmir, the central city of Eskisehir and in others across the country.
In the Istanbul district of Besiktas, protesters chanted "thief, murderer, Erdogan," and accused the national electoral commission of partisanship.
Protesters were particularly critical of the electoral commission's Sunday decision to determine unverified ballot papers and envelopes to be valid.
Erdogan claimed victory in the referendum to extend his powers, but the result is fiercely contested by the opposition and its validity has been questioned by European observers.
Unofficial results showed 51.4 percent of voters had approved reforms that would give his office sweeping new powers and reduce the role of parliament. (dpa)
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