Turkish Court turns down Plea for the Two Coup Leaders

A Turkish court in the capital of Ankara on Friday turned down a plea for arresting two leaders of the 1980 military coup, citing poor health and old age of the suspects.

The two leaders are former President and Chief of the General Staff Kenan Evren who led the 1980 military coup to end “the struggle between leftists and rightists” and former Air Force Commander Tahsin Sahinkaya.

Prosecutor Kemal Cetin said the two suspects are in poor health condition and there has been a “judicial control” issued earlier for them.

The Ankara 12th High Criminal Court began on Wednesday to hear the case of 94-year-old General Kenan Evren and 86-year-old Tahsin Sahinkaya, neither of whom appeared in the hearing due to their health condition.

The Turkish military unseated governments on May 27, 1960, March 12, 1971, Sept. 12, 1980, and in the wake of the Feb. 28 process in 1997. Currently, hundreds of active-duty and retired military personnel, including former chief of general staff Gen. Ilker Basbug are on trial for coup plot charges, according to Xinhua.