Turkey: Life terms sought for 2 ex-generals

By Baris Kilic and Serdar Acil

ANKARA

A Turkish prosecutor on Thursday recommended life sentences for two former generals over the 1997 military memorandum, also known as the postmodern coup.

The prosecutor requested that 60 suspects, including Ismail Hakki Karadayi, then-Chief of General Staff, and Cevik Bir, his then-deputy, be produced for trial.

The case includes a total of 103 suspects.

Known as the Feb. 28, 1997 case, which revolves around the military’s involvement in the collapse of the government of late Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan amid generals’ "concerns" about the government’s program.

Erbakan was forced to sign into law the army’s decisions on issues such as a ban on headscarves in public service and the shutting down of Quranic schools.

His government was forced to step down on Feb. 28, 1997, after a meeting of the National Security Council, and his Welfare Party was later outlawed. In what became known as a postmodern coup, a civilian government took over from Erbakan.

In 2013, Karadayi and Bir faced charges of taking part in overthrowing the Turkish government by force but were later released under judicial control.