Turkey’s 1980 military coup trial dismissed

By Baris Kilic

ANKARA

An Ankara court has ruled on Thursday to dismiss the 1980 military coup trial because the defendants -- including the country’s seventh president Kenan Evren -- are dead.

Ankara 10th Criminal Court’s decision came after the court committee listened to pleas from the attorneys of the two deceased defendants and the latest declarations of those involved in the case.

Kenan Evren, who was sentenced to life imprisonment on June 18, 2014, for his role in the coup, passed away at the age of 97, in May 2015. Former air force general Tahsin Sahinkaya also died just two months after Evren’s death, in July.

The trial of Evren and Sahinkaya began in April 2012 with the prosecution arguing the two had attempted to "eliminate" the Turkish constitution and override the parliament; both generals were also demoted to the rank of private.

The two former generals had not attended court proceedings, citing poor health and instead appeared via video link from the hospital.

The Sept. 12, 1980, military coup, led by Evren, was known as the bloodiest military intervention in Turkey's history, during which a group of generals seized power after years of political unrest that claimed hundreds of lives.

More than 650,000 people were detained during the 1980 coup period, while 230,000 were put on trial, mostly for political reasons, and 50 were executed. A further 299 died because of torture and unhealthy prison conditions.

Reporting by Baris Kilic; Writing by Nilay Kar