Turkish Court Releases 230 Accused Of Plotting Coup

Turkish Court Releases 230 Accused Of Plotting Coup

ISTANBUL — A Turkish court ordered Thursday the release of 230 people who were convicted of being involved in the so-called “sledgehammer” plot to stage a coup against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The move came a day after the Constitutional Court ruled that the rights of the 230 had been violated. It paves the way for a retrial in the case, which originally concluded in 2012.

Erdogan’s government has also questioned the guilty verdicts, largely against former military officers, implying there were problems with the case and those convicted may have been framed.

The sledgehammer plot was said to be an attempt by military officers to oust Erdogan, from the Islamic Justice and Development Party, shortly after he took office in 2003.

The military has long had a hand in Turkish politics, staging four coups since 1960.

However, a constitutional referendum in 2010 weakened the ability of the military — which had often seen itself as a protector of secularism — to intervene again.

On Wednesday, a court sentenced former president and army chief Kenan Evren, 96, and former air force chief Tahsin Sahinkaya, 89, to life in prison for their leading role in the bloody 1980 coup.

Photo: Adem Altan via AFP

Interested in world news? Sign up for our daily newsletter!

Advertising

Start your day with National Memo Newsletter

Know first.

The opinions that matter. Delivered to your inbox every morning

Ryan Fournier

Ryan Fournier

Ryan Fournier, the co-founder of the North Carolina-based Students for Trump, has been charged with two counts of assault. According to a magistrate’s order filed in the Johnston County District Court, Fournier is accused of “grabbing [his girlfriend’s] right arm and striking her in the forehead with a firearm.” Fornier, who is 27, was reportedly released on the same day as his arrest, Nov. 21, posting a $2,500 bond. A hearing is scheduled for December 18.

Keep reading...Show less
How Fox Invented A Fake Terrorist Attack To Demonize Muslims

Fox News falsely reported last Wednesday that a car accident at the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara, New York, was an act of terrorism. Much of the network’s coverage was based on reporting from correspondent Alexis McAdams, who attributed her information — later debunked — to anonymous law enforcement sources. A close look at Fox’s treatment of this event shows how the network manufactured a terrorist event out of thin air, and then blamed it on Muslims, Arabs, Palestinians, and their supporters.

Keep reading...Show less
{{ post.roar_specific_data.api_data.analytics }}