Indictment on Feb 28 coup accepted by court in Turkey

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

Former Gen Cevik Bir has been taken to Ankara as part of coup probe. DHA photo

A court in Ankara accepted on June 6 an indictment based on an investigation into a harsh army-led campaign that forced the resignation of Turkey’s government in June 1997 – an event known as the “Feb. 28 process.”

The Ankara Prosecutors’ Office sent the completed version of the bill of indictment concerning the infamous “post-modern coup” to Ankara’s 13th Criminal Court on May 22. Thus, the court had been evaluating the bill for the past 15 days.

The prosecutor asked for trial of those 103 suspects 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 bill of indictment states that, “It has been understood that the government, which had received a vote of confidence from Parliament, was attempted to be toppled by force and violence,” daily Milliyet said on its website.

According to the indictment, retired Chief of General Staff Gen. İsmail Hakkı Karadayı is at the top of the suspect list, while former Prime Minister Tansu Çiller is the leading victim. Named after the harsh Feb. 28, 1997 National Security Council (MGK) declaration, the “Feb. 28 process” was the largest part of a series of events that eventually led to the resignation of then-Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan.