A Turkish court sentenced 15 defendants to life in prison in a trial concerning an alleged attempt to occupy a Justice and Development Party, or AKP, building during Turkey’s July 15, 2016 coup attempt.
Twelve jailed defendants, complainants and lawyers for the parties attended the hearing, while three defendants joined by SEGBİS, Turkey’s judicial video-conferencing system.
After defense lawyers responded to the prosecutor’s final opinion, the defendants were asked for their final statements.
Dismissed Capt. Hasan Hüseyin Altınsoy said, “I hope the decision you issue will not go down as a disgrace in Turkish legal history. Whatever decision you make, long live the homeland.”
Four defendants receive aggravated life sentences
The court sentenced former majors Faruk Şimşek and Erol Hazıroğlu and former captains Gökhan Güney and Hasan Hüseyin Altınsay to aggravated life in prison on charges of attempting to overthrow the constitutional order by force and violence.
The court did not apply any sentence reduction for the four defendants, citing their conduct during the trial.
Eleven defendants sentenced to life
The court also sentenced former second lieutenants Muzaffer Dikencik and Berkay Demir, former noncommissioned officer Ali Aydoğan and specialist sergeants Arif Emre Esen, Cem Karaaslan, Hüreyre Can Çatal, İbrahim Tıraş, Şahin Kurt, Feyyaz Yörük, Reşat Ardıl and Fahrettin Kemal to aggravated life on the same charge.
The court then reduced those sentences to life in prison, citing the defendants’ conduct during the proceedings.
The indictment had also sought convictions on charges of attempting to overthrow or prevent the functioning of the Turkish Parliament and attempting to overthrow or prevent the functioning of the government of the Republic of Turkey.
The court ruled that those charges were absorbed into the conviction for attempting to overthrow the constitutional order and decided not to impose separate sentences for them.
Relatives react after verdict
Relatives of the defendants protested after the verdict was announced.
One relative reportedly became ill in the courtroom following the decision.
Indictment cited alleged attempt to occupy İstanbul Governor’s Office
According to the indictment prepared by the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, the defendants went to the İstanbul Governor’s Office on the night of the coup attempt and tried to occupy it.
The indictment was prepared against 75 people, including 60 privates, and sought three aggravated life sentences for each defendant on charges of attempting to overthrow the constitutional order, attempting to overthrow or prevent the functioning of the government and attempting to overthrow or prevent the functioning of parliament.
The İstanbul 23rd High Criminal Court later separated the file concerning the 60 privates.
Ankara blames the coup attempt on the Gülen movement, a transnational civic initiative inspired by Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, and designates the movement as a terrorist organization. The movement denies involvement in the coup or any terrorist activity.
