The leaders of the revolution in Turkey, Deniz Gezmiş, Yusuf Aslan, and Hüseyin İnan! 53 years have passed since the execution of the 'Three Saplings'

Deniz Gezmiş, Hüseyin İnan, and Yusuf Aslan, who fought against imperialism, fascism, war, and poverty, were among the iconic figures of the '68 Generation in Turkey.

These three patriotic youths, who were among the leaders of the revolutionaries who threw the 6th Fleet into the sea, sacrificed their lives for their ideals.

Today, the fact that circles now prominent with their rhetoric of independence supported the execution decision at that time remains a subject of debate. The Milli Görüş movement is also cited among the structures that supported this process.

THE MARCH 12 COUP DEALT A BLOW TO STUDENT MOVEMENTS

The '68 youth movement, which made its impact felt all over the world, also found resonance in universities in Turkey. An arrest warrant was issued for Deniz Gezmiş, who led the occupation of the Istanbul University Faculty of Law in 1969. However, Gezmiş went to Palestine before he could be captured.

The military regime established after the memorandum issued on March 12, 1971, directly targeted student movements. Many members of the THKO and THKP-C were arrested or killed. Gezmiş, Aslan, and İnan were also captured during this process in Gemerek, Şarkışla, and Kayseri, respectively.

THEY WERE TRIED IN A MILITARY COURT AND SENTENCED TO DEATH

Gezmiş, İnan, and Aslan were tried at the Ankara Martial Law Command Military Court No. 1, presided over by Brigadier General Ali Elverdi. Baki Tuğ served as the prosecutor. The court sentenced Gezmiş, Aslan, and İnan to death.

One of the attempts made to save them was carried out under the leadership of Mahir Çayan. Three foreign technicians working at a NATO radar station were kidnapped, and a prisoner exchange was demanded. However, they were killed in a clash at the house where they were besieged in Kızıldere.

APPROVED IN THE TBMM WITH "THREE-THREE" SLOGANS

The death sentences were finalized in the Turkish Grand National Assembly on April 24, 1972, with 273 votes in favor and 48 against. In the decision, which passed with the strong support of the Justice Party group, the "three-three" slogans drew attention. These slogans were interpreted as a reference to Menderes, Zorlu, and Polatkan, who were executed after the 1960 coup.

CHP Chairman İsmet İnönü and Secretary General Bülent Ecevit, on the other hand, voted against the death penalty for political crimes.

THEY WERE HANGED AT THE FIRST LIGHT OF DAWN IN ULUCANLAR

On the morning of May 6, 1972, Deniz Gezmiş, Yusuf Aslan, and Hüseyin İnan were executed at the Ankara Ulucanlar Prison. Gezmiş and Aslan were 25, and Hüseyin İnan was only 23 years old. Ulucanlar Prison, which serves as a museum today, continues to be the site of this tragic event in collective memory.

News Source: 12punto