People climbing on a tank in Ankara during the coup attempt. (Photo: AA/File)
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The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) refused to attend the ceremony to mark the anniversary of the failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016.
It was "unacceptable" that the "July 15 veterans" were not invited and lawmakers had to test for Covid-19 to participate in the ceremony, the party said in a written statement yesterday (July 14).
The parliament should have held a special general assembly with opposition deputies being allowed to speak, it further stated.
"It is an unacceptable stance against our veterans. We consider a ceremony that excludes the veterans an insult to our 2,196 veterans," it said.
Thousands of people took to streets against the coup after a call by President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. As many as 251 people were killed and 2,196 were wounded during the coup attempt.
CHP Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said today on Twitter that "As we will never forget our 251 martyrs who lost their lives for democracy, we also won't forget those who shut their eyes to the FETÖ's [Fetullahist Terrorist Organization] infiltration of the state."
"Veterans' march" was prevented by the police
In the morning, a group of "coup veterans" visited the "July 15 Martyrs' Cemetery" in the capital Ankara. They then headed to the "July 15 Matryrs Monument" near the Presidential Complex but were prevented by the police, the ANKA news agency reported.
A spokesperson for the group told the agency that they were subjected to "ugly treatment" by the police. He also said that the police blocked them because they knew they would ask about what happened to the donation money collected for those killed and wounded during the coup attempt.
"They called us to the streets but didn't call us to the palace," he said.
15 Temmuz gazileri: "Bekleyişimizi bir, bir buçuk saat kadar sürdürdük. Gaziler, bazı arkadaşlar ile güvenlik şube müdürüyle ve polisleriyle ne yazık ki çirkince hareketlere maruz kaldılar"https://t.co/vcH8RCfAJ9 pic.twitter.com/5pr5KRMdlM
— ANKA Haber Ajansı (@ankahabera) July 15, 2020
The "veterans" previously staged a protest in front of the AKP headquarters, claiming that the donations collected for those who lost their lives and injured during the coup attempt had not reached them.
They have also been demanding to enjoy the rights that are granted to veterans and their families by Law No. 3713 on Fight Against Terrorism. (EMK/VK)
