Turkish Media Praise Landmark Coup Trial
The trial of the two remaining leaders of the 1980 military coup in Turkey was hailed by Turkish media Thursday as a landmark case and critical reminder of the country's coup-marred history.
"Never again!" read liberal daily Taraf's headline, as the newspaper applauded the trial in which Turkey is finally coming to grips with the bloody coup that traumatized civil politics 32 years ago.
The trial of Kenan Evren, the junta leader and self-appointed president, and Tahsin Sahinkaya, commander of air forces at the time, resumed for a second day Thursday at an Ankara court with the two defendants again absent due to medical reasons.
The opening day session on Wednesday lasted nine hours, much longer than a usual procedure, but the judges have not proceeded with the indictment against the generals because of their absence. They will instead continue on Thursday with the testimonies of the victims.
Evren, 94, and Sahinkaya, 86, risk life imprisonment if they are found guilty of committing "crimes against the state," the severest punishment after Turkey abolished the death penalty in 2002.
Fifty people were executed, more than half a million arrested and dozens died under torture while many others were reported missing during the three years following the coup.
The trial became possible after constitutional reforms in 2010, which revoked an article giving immunity to those responsible for coups, Mustafa Unal of the government-friendly Zaman daily wrote.
"Leaders of the 1960 and 1971 coups were never held accountable. It resulted in encouraging coup attempts," he wrote.
"They were not just two," said the opposition newspaper Cumhuriyet, demanding that all those responsible for the coup be brought to justice.
On Wednesday, a lawyer for the plantiffs urged the judges to bring Evren to court, "in a cage or a stretcher" if necessary, like former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.
The trial, while welcomed by the public, is seen as part of a power struggle between the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the army, whose influence waned significantly since the Islamic-rooted party came to power in 2002.
Separate trials are also under way for alleged coup attempts involving hundreds of suspects, including many high-ranking military officers.
Source: Agence France Presse
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