Lawsuit against former Chief of General Staff Kenan Evren on September 12 military coup starts today

Court to hear first trial on September 12 military coup on Apr.4Ankara 12th High Criminal Court will hear the first trial on September 12 (1980) military coup on April 4.

Former Chief of General Staff Kenan Evren and the then-Commander of Air Forces retired Gen. Tahsin Sahinkaya are the suspects of the case. After the provisional article No. 15 of the Constitution was annulled with a referendum on September 12, 2010, the road to judge Evren and Sahinkaya was opened.

Ankara Chief Prosecutor’s Office assessed the lawsuit petitions filed from all across the country, and then launched an investigation on September 12 military coup process.

Ankara 12th High Criminal Court accepted the indictment prepared by Ankara public prosecutor with special authority Kemal Cetin.
The indictment accused Evren and Sahinkaya of attempting to change or eliminate the Constitution completely or partially as well as eliminate or override the mission of Parliament. The indictment asked heavy life sentence for Evren and Sahinkaya.

Eight political parties including the ruling Justice & Development (AK) Party, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) as well as Council of Ministers, many non-governmental organizations and nearly 340 individuals stated they would be co-plaintiff in the case.

The September 12, 1980 military coup, headed by Evren, was the third coup in the history of the modern Turkey. The generals seized power in 1980 after years of political unrest, which claimed hundreds of lives. For the next three years Turkish Armed Forces ruled the country through the National Security Council, before democracy was restored.

A total of 650,000 people were detained during this period, and files for 1,683,000 people were kept at police stations. A total of 230,000 people were tried in 210,000 cases, mostly for political reasons. Out of this group, 517 people were sentenced to death, while 7,000 people faced charges that carried a sentence of capital punishment. Of those who received the death penalty, 50 were executed. As a result of unsanitary living conditions and torture in prisons, a further 299 people died while in custody.

3 April 2012

SOURCE: CUMHURIYET ENGLISH