One Ergenekon convict surrenders, another returns to duty

ISTANBUL

Maj. Gen. Hıfzı Çubuklu started his duty as the manager of legal affairs at the Turkish General Staff. DHA Photo

A general convicted in the Ergenekon coup plot case surrendered to serve his time, while another general, who had been released, returned to his post Aug. 12.

Tuncer Kılınç, former secretary-general of the National Security Council surrendered at an Istanbul courthouse to serve his sentence from the Ergenekon case, whereas Maj. Gen. Hıfzı Çubuklu, another convict in the Ergenekon case, started his duty as the manager of legal affairs at the Turkish General Staff.

Çubuklu, who was sentenced to 7 years and 6 months but released for time served while the trial was underway, was released after the court’s verdict Aug. 5.

Kılınç, who was not arrested during the trial, surrendered to serve his sentence of 13 years, 2 months and 10 days as an Istanbul court announced the verdicts for the landmark coup plot case Aug. 5.

The Ergenekon case, which focused on an alleged coup plot, is one of Turkey’s most significant legal battles and continued for the last five years. Some 275 suspects were put on trial, and the verdict handed down Aug. 5 ultimately acknowledged the Ergenekon network as a terrorist organization that attempted to overthrow the government. The case resulted in hundreds of years of imprisonment in total and several aggravated life sentences for a series of the country’s high-ranking army members, journalists and academics.