Court accepts first Ankara indictment against coup attempt activities

Eighteen suspects involved in a deadly raid on Gölbaşı Special Forces Commandership in Ankara on the night of the July 15 coup attempt, believed to have been orchestrated by the Gülen movement, face multiple sentences of aggravated life imprisonment after an indictment was accepted on Dec. 1.

Some 17 of the suspects face four aggravated life terms on counts of attempting to abolish the "constitutional order, government and the parliament," as well as for "deliberate killing." Meanwhile, suspect Mihrali Atmaca faces five aggravated life terms on the same charges. 

All 18 suspects also face up to 15 years in jail each for "membership in an armed terror organization."   

In the indictment, the first one prepared in Ankara on the coup attempt, Sgt. Ömer Halisdemir, who was killed at the command, was called a "martyr," while Sgt. Nedim Şahin was described as a "victim."

The indictment also said that based on the testimonies of some Gülenist soldiers and public employees, it "can be understood" that the coup attempt was carried out with the knowledge and instruction of the "alleged leader of the terrorist organization, Fethullah Gülen" and that "the terrorist organization is held responsible" for the pecuniary and non-pecuniary costs of the events, such as the murder of civilians and public employees.