Turkey upholds convictions of top officers over coup plot
Reuters
2013-10-09
Views 33
In Ankara, pro-military chants outside a Turkish appeals court.
These are the relatives of top retired officers who were convicted of planning a military coup a decade ago.
They're angry over a court ruling on Wednesday that upheld their convictions,
'The traitors are in Parliament', the families chant, 'the commanders are in jail'.
(SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) UNNAMED RELATIVE OF A DEFENDANT, SAYING:
"This is very unfortunate. I think from now on no citizen will have a guarantee when it comes to law. We are entering a new period in which Turkey can go any direction."
More than 300 officers were convicted last month in the so-called "Sledgehammer" conspiracy.
Their plot was said to have included planting bombs in Istanbul to destabilize the government.
The Sledgehammer case underlines the civilian dominance here over a once all-powerful army.
For decades, the armed forces were the self-appointed guardians of Turkey's secular order.
T
These are the relatives of top retired officers who were convicted of planning a military coup a decade ago.
They're angry over a court ruling on Wednesday that upheld their convictions,
'The traitors are in Parliament', the families chant, 'the commanders are in jail'.
(SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) UNNAMED RELATIVE OF A DEFENDANT, SAYING:
"This is very unfortunate. I think from now on no citizen will have a guarantee when it comes to law. We are entering a new period in which Turkey can go any direction."
More than 300 officers were convicted last month in the so-called "Sledgehammer" conspiracy.
Their plot was said to have included planting bombs in Istanbul to destabilize the government.
The Sledgehammer case underlines the civilian dominance here over a once all-powerful army.
For decades, the armed forces were the self-appointed guardians of Turkey's secular order.
T
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