New indictment on Ergenekon claims four army coups plotted in Turkey
Güncelleme Tarihi:
The second indictment in the controversial Ergenekon case was accepted by a Turkish court Wednesday and accuses 56 people, including former generals, of planning four separate military coups to overthrow the government, TV channels reported. (UPDATED)
The trial of the 56 suspects, 19 of who are currently in custody, named in the latest indictment will begin on July 20, when the court will decide whether to merge it with that of 86 other people already on trial for their links to the case, reports said.
The 1,909-page indictment accuses retired generals Sener Eruygur and Hursit Tolon of masterminding the so-called Ergenekon organization. Prosecutors are demanding the charge carry a maximum penalty of a life sentence in solitary confinement and with no possibility of parole. The second indictment also included charges against Ferda Paksut, the wife of the vice-chairman of the constitutional court, according to Turkish broadcasters and news agencies.
The second indictment relates to those detained after the sixth wave of the operation on July 1, 2008 and includes retired generals and prominent anti-government journalists. Over 80 people were named and are currently standing trial in the first indictment filed in 2008.
The indictment also claimed the so-called Ergenekon organization was plotting to divide the governing Justice and Development Party (AKP) as well as the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and to topple the leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP). The organization planned to use the “Republic rallies,” held in 2007 against Abdullah Gul’s candidacy for presidency, as a tool to support its coup plots, according to the indictment.
The controversial Ergenekon operation, which started in June 2007 with the discovery of grenades in a house in The case has divided the nation with many believing the government is using the investigation as an excuse to suppress its opposition, while the rest hailed the probe saying it is an important step taken to strengthen democracy.