A Turkish court arrests four retired generals in ‘coup’ case

ANKARA

Retired general Orhan Yöney (C) was among the four retired army officials arrested on Feb. 13. AA photo

Four retired generals were arrested Feb. 13 in relation to the ongoing investigation for the “post-modern coup” of Feb. 28, 1997. The Ankara chief prosecutor had earlier in the day asked for the arrest of five retired generals questioned by the court.

The arrested retired generals were identified as Orhan Yöney, Köksal Karabay, Hayri Bülent Alpkaya and Altaç Atılan by Anatolia news agency. Another retired general, Ersin Yılmaz, was released under probationary conditions, Anatolia news agency has reported.

In early January, former Chief of General Staff Gen. İsmail Hakkı Karadayı was released after his testimony in the same investigation on condition of control.

The “post-modern” coup, or the Feb. 28 process, refers to a military intervention that forced late ex-Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan to resign. Suspects who have so far been detained in relation to the Feb. 28 investigation were sent to court on charges of “attempting to annul the government of the Republic of Turkey; or attempting to partially or entirely block the government from performing its duties.”

“The judiciary is fulfilling its own duty and as the executive [body], we are doing our part,” PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in response to reporters’ questions about developments in the ongoing investigation.