12 September Indictment Accepted
The indictment regarding the coup d'état on 12 September 1980 was accepted by the Ankara 12th High Criminal Court on 10 January. It includes the 7th President of Turkey, Kenan Evren, Chief of General Staff at the time, and retired General Tahsin Şahinkaya as prime suspects.
The document was prepared by Special Authority Public Prosecutor Kemal Çetin. The indictment seeks "aggravated life sentences" for defendants Evren and Şahinkaya according to Articles 146 (offences against state forces) and 80 of the Turkish Criminal Law (No.765).
The prosecution of the putchists of the military coup of 12 September 1980 became possible after provisional Article 15 had been removed from the Constitution as a result of the referendum on 12 September 2010. Victims of the coup had filed a criminal complaint about the people involved in the coup, especially former Chief of General Staff Kenan Evren. (NV/VK)