38 get life terms in Ankara over 2016 defeated coup

By Cemil Murat Budak

ANKARA

A court in capital Ankara on Thursday handed down life sentences to 38 former Turkish military personnel for their involvement in the 2016 defeated coup, according to a judicial source.

Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup on July 15, 2016, that martyred 250 people and injured nearly 2,200 others.

The 18th Criminal Court convicted the 38 military personnel on charges of attempting to overthrow the constitutional order, the source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media, said.

The court handed down aggravated life sentences for 11 convicts, while 27 were given life sentences, the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, said.

Among the 11 convicts were Turan Baysal, Adil Baykal, Abdullah Cakır, Huseyin Nisancı, Ismail Gokturk, Mahmut Onur Ucar, Eray Koc ve Ahmet Ozkilic, Nuri Buyukyazi, Bayram Kilic ve Fatih Anaz.

Buyukyazici was sentenced to 6 times aggravated life term, while Anaz to 4 times and Kilic to 3 times in total as they were also accused of deliberate murder.

Selim Gedikli, Ramazan Ulutas, Mustafa Umit Taspinar, Soner Demirci, Fatih Topal, Ugur Kaya, Halil Ibrahim Cubuk, Ali Aksoy, Serafettin Atmaca, Mehmet Levent Ozer, Rifat Gokcen, Vedat Ipek, Erkan Dogru, Kadir Ozsaglam, Sinan Karismaz, Mehmet Cankurt, Ugur Aymayan, Yunus Parakazan, Aslan Kose, Yunus Akyuz, Ziya Ozgur Cicek, Mehmet Akdeniz, Mustafa Durdu, Emrah Cesim, Serhat Sahin, Atakan Gokturk ve Ercan Yalcin were sentenced to life in prison.

They were all convicted for their activities at the 28th Infantry Brigade Command in Ankara during the defeated coup.

The court also sentenced 14 FETO convicts to twelve-and-a-half years in prison for aiding an attempt to overthrow the constitutional order.

In total, 63 suspects had appeared before the court in the case; 11 were released, the source added.

Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.