Two former generals indicted for plot to overthrow Turkish government
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.An Istanbul court has formally indicted 56 suspects, including two retired generals, on charges of plotting to topple Turkey's Islamic-rooted government.
The indictment is the second to emerge from a massive investigation into a secularist group that has stirred controversy since the investigation began in June 2007.
Charged last July with stirring up civil unrest to encourage military intervention, 86 suspects are already being tried in a court near Istanbul.
This week's charge sheet names the men prosecutors appear to think organised the plot: Sener Eruygur, a former military police chief, and Hursit Tolon, a former military commander. Both men, who are the highest-ranking military officers to be arrested in Turkey's 62-year history of multi-party democracy, say they are innocent.
The pair are both charged with "forming and organising an armed terror group" and "attempting to remove the government".
Mr Eruygur is also charged in connection with the May 2006 murder of a high court judge which triggered the secular backlash against the ruling AK Party that ended in military threats of intervention in April 2007. The extent of both men's opposition to AK Party rule became clear in 2007, when a Turkish magazine published extracts from diaries allegedly written by an admiral detailing their role in two failed coup attempts in 2004. Now retired, the admiral continues to deny he wrote the diary.
Among the suspects charged yesterday were two prominent journalists – Mustafa Balbay, who is the chief journalist in Ankara for Cumhuriyet, a secular newspaper, and Tuncay Ozkan, former owner of the secular KanalTurk television. Several former police officials, politicians and academics were also charged.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments