Turkish key coup attempt generals do not make defense after lawyers’ absence at court

ANKARA

Lawyers of former general  Mehmet Partigöç, who appeared at an Ankara court on May 29 in the trial regarding events at the General Staff Headquarters on the night of the July 15, 2016 coup attempt, did not show up at the hearing.

The Ankara 17th High Criminal Court was conducting its 6th hearing in the high-profile case against 221 suspects, including former high-ranking generals accused of perpetrating the coup attempt.
 
Judge Oğuz Dik reportedly called for the lawyer of Partigöç  to make a defense on the clients’ behalf, but after finding that the lawyer was not present he demanded that criminal complaints be filed against the lawyers. 

The lawyer of the suspect called on after Partigöç’s lawyer was also absent. 

Some other suspects said they did not want to testify since “they were not prepared,” although their lawyers were accompanying them. 

If the lawyers failed to attend the afternoon session of the trial new lawyers be appointed to the case, Dik reportedly ruled.  

Some of the other suspects also failed to make a defense, saying they were “not ready.”

“Whoever doesn’t make his defense after today will effectively be using their right to remain silent. I submitted the indictment two months ago … This is not child’s play. We will also file a criminal complaint against the lawyers who are not present,” stated the judge.

Partigöç ruled out claims in the indictment in his testimony later in the day.