A Turkish court sentenced seven defendants to life terms in a trial over the alleged occupation of the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality Logistics Support Center and Arıcılar Mosque during Turkey’s July 15, 2016 coup attempt.
The panel of judges convicted the defendants on charges of “attempting to overthrow the constitutional order” and “depriving a person of liberty through force and violence.”
Five detained defendants were sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment and an additional 200 years each.
Two other defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment and an additional 166 years and eight months each.
The verdict was unanimous.
The case was one of many local-site trials opened after the coup attempt, in which courts examined alleged attempts to take control of municipal buildings, police stations, bridges, airports, media outlets and other strategic locations.
The sentences reflected the severity of post-coup prosecutions, where defendants in cases involving alleged participation in the events of July 15 frequently received aggravated life terms on constitutional-order charges, along with additional prison terms tied to specific acts alleged in the indictment.
The ruling also formed part of the broader judicial response to the coup attempt, which critics said often relied on sweeping charges and heavy sentencing while raising questions about individualized culpability, command responsibility and the distinction between senior decision-makers and lower-ranking participants.
