2016 coup attempt: 12 former military officers handed aggravated life sentence

Sincan Prison, Ankara (Photo: AA)

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Twelve former military officers have been sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment in the case concerning the activities at the Land Forces Command (KKK) during the coup attempt on July 15, 2016.

Defendants, plaintiffs and their attorneys were present at today's (December 30) hearing at the Ankara 19th Heavy Penal Court.

The first hearing of the case with 132 defendants accused of being members of the "Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ)" was held on July 6, 2017.

The court handed an aggravated life sentence to former Brigadier General Adem Boduroğlu, former Colonel Mutlu Serkan Vurdem, former Colonel Hasan Yılmaz, Eşref Mert, Mehmet Ortaç, Hamza Akkay, Halil Ekiztaş, İbrahim Başpınar, Ahmet Fazıl Işık, Oğuzhan Çelikoğlu, Bayram Üstündağ and Zülküf Orak for "attempted violation of the constitutional order."

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Eighty other defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment for the same offense while 22 were handed prison sentences of 12 to 19 years for "aiding" those who attempted to violate the constitutional order.

Two defendants were sentenced to 6 years and 3 months and one was sentenced to 7 years and 6 months in prison for "being a member of an armed terrorist organization."

Former Brigadier General Erhan Caha, who was previously handed 141 aggravated life sentences in the "General Staff main trial" was sentenced to 34 years in prison for "attempted murder," and 69 years in prison for "false imprisonment." Gökhan Akdağ and Fikret Yağmur also received prison sentences for the same offenses.

Nine defendants were acquitted of "attempted violation of the constitutional order" while three of them continue to be tried for "membership in an armed terrorist organization." (AS/VK)