Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday threatened to "chop off the heads" of traitors, in a speech marking the first anniversary of the failed coup bid that aimed to oust him from power.

"First of all we will chop off the heads of those traitors," Erdogan told a rally in Istanbul, prompting cries from the crowds that capital punishment should be restored in Turkey. He reaffirmed "I will sign it" if parliament passes any bill on resuming executions.