Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag yesterday told NTV television that 70,000 people had been investigated after the coup and of them 32,000 remanded in custody.
"This process is continuing," he said. The numbers of those arrested marks an increase of more than 10,000 from those previously given by the government.
Bozdag said that there could be new arrests, while some of those currently arrested could still be freed under judicial control or freed entirely.
The trials of tens of thousands will be the biggest legal process in Turkey's history and are set to put the system under unprecedented pressure.
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"It is not entirely clear how the trials will be carried out," Bozdag acknowledged.
He said trials would take place in cities across the country and not in one single venue.
Bozdag said there was no need to create a special trial venue in Istanbul as capacity was sufficient. But he said one was needed in Ankara and work is taking place for a trial venue at Sincan outside the capital.
Turkey's Western allies have expressed concern over the magnitude of the crackdown, but Ankara has insisted that the rule of law is being observed.
Gulen, who has lived in self-exile in the United States since 1999, has denied that he was linked to the coup in any way.
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