Turkey opens largest trial over failed putsch in Ankara
Turkey has opened the biggest trial of those suspected of involvement in last July's attempted coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The trial is being held for 330 suspects in a spacious courtroom, which holds over 1,500 people, at Sincan prison outside the capital city of Ankara on Tuesday.
If convicted, the suspects are expected to face multiple life sentences.
Security measures were tight, with a water canon truck stationed on the site and a drone flying over the area. The courtroom was packed with security forces surrounding the suspects as they testified.
The suspects, many of whom are from the Polatli artillery and missile school command in Ankara, have been accused of murder, attempted murder, attempting to remove the Turkish government and parliament or trying to prevent the activities of those institutions.
The hearing is one of several cases held across Turkey this month, the largest of which was held in the city of Izmir in late January. The court tried 270 suspects, among them US-based Turkish cleric and opposition figure Fethullah Gulen, who was tried in absentia.
Ankara has since accused Gulen of orchestrating and masterminding the coup. He is also accused of being behind a long-running campaign to topple the government via infiltrating country’s institutions, particularly the army, police and the judiciary. Turkey has also outlawed the Gulen movement, his large organization, in the country and has branded it as “Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).”
Gulen has censured the coup attempt and strongly denied any involvement in the violence.
Read more:
Turkey sacks over 200 judges, prosecutors
Turkish opp. figure stripped of lawmaking
After the attempted coup, Ankara declared a state of emergency and began a massive crackdown, placing over 43,000 people in pre-trial detention. The state of emergency will be in place as the trials continue in the biggest legal process in Turkey’s history.
Ankara has also sacked more than 100,000 others, including military personnel, judges, and teachers, over suspected links to Gulen, as part of the post-coup crackdown. Many rights groups have denounced Ankara’s heavy clampdown.
Turkey imposes trade restrictions on Israel over Gaza war
Turkish police arrest dozens in pro-Palestine rally in Istanbul
Erdogan concedes local elections setback, calling results 'turning point' for his party
US House to vote on long-awaited assistance for Ukraine
VIDEO | Pakistan backs Iran’s retaliatory attack on Israel
The epic of Iran’s economic invincibility
French praise Iran missile retaliation against Israel
Two Palestinians killed in West Bank amid drastic rise in settler attacks
SCO chief condemns Israel’s terrorist attack on Iran’s Syria consulate
VIDEO | Press TV's news headlines
April 15: ‘Axis of Resistance’ operations against Israeli occupation
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
