Ankara court holds city's first July 15 coup attempt trial

An Ankara court on Feb. 6 held the first hearing in the city's first case against suspects in the July 15, 2016 coup attempt trial. 

The hearing for the alleged coup activities of 27 suspects, which took place at Special Air Regiment Command in Ankara's Etimesgut district, was held at a courthouse built specially for the case at Ankara's Sincan Prison.
The suspects are accused of "attempting to remove the constitutional order," "attempting to demolish the parliament or prevent it from performing its duty," and "attempting to abolish the government of the Turkish Republic or prevent it from performing its duty."

The public prosecutor's office demands three life sentences for the aforementioned crimes, in addition to sentences of between seven years and 15 years for "membership of a terrorist organization."

The Etimesgut Special Air Regiment Command base served as the main headquarters of coup-plotting soldiers on July 15, 2016.

The documents of the inquiry carried out by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office concerning the events at the base and the personnel participating in the coup from this military unit were sent to court on Dec. 20.

The indictment summarized the suspects' statements in investigations carried out by various prosecutors, adding that "the coup attempt was realized by members of FETÖ [Fethullahist Terrorist Organization] and organized within the Turkish Armed Forces, acting in accordance with the orders and instructions of Fethullah Gülen," referring to the U.S.-based Islamic preacher.