2 Years of July 15 Coup Attempt with Figures, Reports

Click to read the article in Turkish/Kurdish

It has been two years since the coup attempt on July 15, 2016.

During the coup attempt, 248 people lost their lives and 2196 people were wounded.

The State of Emergency, which was declared on July 20, 2016 after the coup attempt, is still in effect. With the statutory decrees issued as part of the State of Emergency, 134 thousand 144 people have been discharged from their jobs and at least 228 thousand 137 people have been arrested.

For the last two years since the coup attempt, Turkey has been ranking worse in the freedom reports of the international organizations.

Discharges

32 statutory decrees have been issued by the Council of Ministers within the frame of the State of Emergency. 134 thousand 144 people in total have been discharged from their jobs by statutory decrees. Of the discharged, 3 thousand 981 people have been reinstated to their jobs.

Detentions-Arrests

Human Rights Joint Platform (İHOP) released a report covering the period between July 21, 2016 and March 20, 2018. According to the report updated on April 17, 2018:

* From July 16, 2016 to March 20, 2018, at least 228 thousand 137 people were arrested.

* As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency, 283 lawsuits were filed in relation with the coup attempt, 106 of which were concluded as of March 23, 2018. 805 defendants were sentenced to prison, 805 of whom were life imprisonments.

* 45, 415 social media accounts were investigated and legal action was taken against 17,089 social media users on charges of "propagandizing for and praising a terrorist organization; openly declaring relation with terrorist organizations; inciting the public to enmity and hatred; insulting the state officials, targeting the indivisible integrity of the state and the life safety of people and engaging in hate speech."

* According to the Ministry of Interior, 845 people who criticized the "Operation Olive Branch" launched into Afrin, Syria were taken into custody.

Trials

Trials of Academics for Peace

On January 10, 2016, a lawsuit was filed against the academics who signed the declaration entitled "We will not be a party to this crime" as per the Article No. 7/2 of the Anti-Terror Law No. 3713 on charge of "propagandizing for a terrorist organization."

As of July 12, 2018, 256 academics had stood trial since December 5, 2017. 16 of these academics were sentenced to 1 year and 3 months in prison and all of the sentences were suspended, except for those of Prof. Dr. Zübeyde Füsun Üstel from Galatasaray University and Prof. Dr. Büşra Ersanlı from Marmara University.

The penalty of Prof. Dr. Üstel was not deferred on the grounds that "she did not demand deferment of the announcement of the verdict and that she did not make a statement of penitence." As for the penalty of Prof. Dr. Büşra Ersanlı, it was not deferred on the ground that "no opinion as to her avoidance of committing offense has emerged considering her personality which does not express any remorse."

Closed Institutions and Organizations

* 47 private medical centers were closed.

* 2,271 private education institutions were closed. The work permits of 21,860 executives, educators, teachers, specialized educators and other personnel were cancelled; the related legal regulations were introduced so that the people in question cannot get a permit to work at a private education institution.

* 174 media organizations were closed.

* 1,414 non-governmental organizations and associations were closed.

* 145 foundations were closed.

* 15 universities were closed

* 19 unions, which were members of two confederations, were closed.

* Trustees were appointed to 99 municipalities. 94 of these municipalities were of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP), 4 of them were of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and one of them the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

(BK/HK/EKN/TK/SD)