Probe launched into Atatürkist Thought Association over ‘coup-praising’ Tweet

ANKARA – Mesut Hasan Benli

The Interior Ministry and the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office have separately launched investigations over a tweet shared on the social media account of the Atatürkist Thought Association that allegedly praised the May 27, 1960 coup d’etat. 

The prosecutor’s office said the tweet shared on May 27 “praised crime and criminality” and required prosecution as per the 215th article of the Turkish Penal Code.

The association removed the tweet after it was posted, saying it was posted without the approval of the chairman and board members.

“The tweet in question does not reflect the Atatürkist Thought Association’s institutional identity and opinion … An investigation has been launched regarding the incident by our legal consultancy department, as per the Atatürkist Thought Association’s internal discipline decrees,” the association said in a statement on May 28.

The May 27-dated tweet had said the following: “Half-a-century ago, the Turkish Armed Forces used its right of resistance against a political power that had diverted from the constitution and the law, and seized the country’s administration. The nation’s support was behind the army. #27May.”

The 1960 coup was the first military coup d’état in the Republic of Turkey. The coup was staged by a group of 38 young Turkish military officers, acting outside the Chief of Staff’s chain of command.

It was orchestrated by Alparslan Türkeş and ultimately carried out on May 27, 1960 by General Cemal Gürsel against the government of the Democrat Party.