Turkish commodore’s coup sentence postponed

Burcu Purtul UÇAR ISTANBUL - Hürriyet

Turkish commodore Cem Aziz Çakmak was released from prison, after his sentence was postponed for six months due to him being diagnosed with lung cancer. 

Last year, Turkey’s Supreme Court of Appeals approved the convictions of 237 suspects in the “Balyoz” (Sledgehammer) coup-plot case, as part of which he was given an 18-year sentence. 

After being released, he visited family members, and said he had “spent a happy evening, eaten food with appetite, and did not cough for the first time in years.” 

Çakmak said Silivri is a “dungeon” and said his tumor grew in the prison conditions. 

“Of course we are not scared. Of course we stand tall, but those were really unhealthy circumstances. And especially, if you are not guilty...” he said. 

“We were taken into prison with evidence which everyone knew was fake,” Çakmak added. “All state institutions knew they were fake, they do. But people are still in prison.”