The sentencing balance sheet of the July 15 coup attempt trials: 289 cases concluded

The 289 coup cases opened following the July 15, 2016, coup attempt by the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) have been concluded.

According to NTV, 1,634 defendants, including former Air Force Commander General Akın Öztürk, former Chief of General Staff Personnel Department Lieutenant General İlhan Talu, 2nd Main Jet Base Commander Air Major General Kubilay Selçuk, and General Staff Project Management Department Head Major General Mehmet Dişli—who were among the members of the so-called Peace at Home Council—were sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment on the grounds that they participated in the planning and execution of the coup. This group also included civilian imams.

85 GENERALS SENTENCED TO PRISON

Among those given aggravated life sentences are 85 former generals and 1,116 former officers. While 1,634 people were sentenced in this scope, 1,366 defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment. Among those sentenced to life imprisonment were 24 former generals and 536 officers. In total, 2,870 people were acquitted. Those acquitted include 1,165 privates and 154 military students.

SENTENCED AS PRINCIPAL PERPETRATOR

In the case regarding the assassination attempt against AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the attack in which two police officers were martyred, the aggravated life sentence given to former chief aide-de-camp Ali Yazıcı was upheld by the Court of Cassation. The previous decision to sentence Yazıcı to 18 years in prison for "aiding and abetting the crime" was overturned for being insufficient. In the retrial, Yazıcı was convicted as a principal perpetrator.

SENTENCE OVERTURNED BY THE COURT OF CASSATION

In the case regarding the actions at Akıncı Air Base, which is considered one of the centers from which the coup attempt was directed, 4 civilian imams and 15 former soldiers were sentenced to 79 counts of aggravated life imprisonment each and a total of 3,901 years in prison for the crimes of "intentional killing of 77 people," "attempted intentional killing," and "deprivation of liberty.">

Among the defendants whose sentences were upheld by the Court of Cassation are those involved in FETÖ's civilian structure and the pilots who bombed the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) and the Special Operations Department.

On the other hand, the acquittal and conviction decisions regarding 39 defendants were overturned by the 3rd Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation. The retrial process for these individuals continues at the Ankara 4th High Criminal Court.

In the "roof case" regarding the events that took place at the General Staff Headquarters, 17 defendants, including former Air Force Commander Akın Öztürk, were sentenced to 141 counts of aggravated life imprisonment each.