In Turkey, 38 ex-servicemen have been sentenced to life imprisonment for their role in the 2016 failed coup against President Erdogan. Among the convicts is a former lieutenant colonel who at the time had a statement about the coup read out on a Turkish television channel.
Six convicts were sentenced to life with no chance of earlier release. They have to serve their sentences in a prison with a harsh regime.
Laid off
In previous trials, more than 2,500 Turkish military and civilians were sentenced to life sentences for their involvement in the failed coup d’état. In Turkey, tens of thousands of people have been imprisoned since 2016 for allegedly associated with the movement of Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen, accused by President Erdogan of being behind the failed coup.
An estimated 130,000 people have been fired from the government for ties to Gülen. The cleric, who has fled to the US, denies any involvement in the coup attempt.
Criticism
Human rights organizations and Turkey’s western allies are extremely critical of the approach of the alleged Gülen supporters in Turkey, which is eliminating the president’s political opponents. The Turkish government insists that tracking down clergymen is necessary for the security of the country.
Several lawsuits related to the coup are still pending in Turkey, killing more than 250 people.
In this video you can see what happened on July 15 and 16, 2016:
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