One hundred and forty three former Turkish soldiers went on trial on
Monday in Istanbul over their deadly clashes with civilians on a bridge on the
night of a coup
attempt in 2016, local media reported.
Thirty-four people were killed on the bridge over the Bosphorus Strait in
Istanbul as clashes erupted between civilians and soldiers trying to seal off
the bridge at the start of a coup bid by some in the military on July 15, 2016.
A close friend of Turkish President Recep Erdogan was among the dead and
318 others were injured in the clashes on the Bosphorus Bridge, which was later
renamed July 15 Martyrs Bridge by the government to honour the dead civilians,
who resisted the plot.
If convicted, the dismissed soldiers each will face aggravated life
imprisonment over “murder and attempting to overthrow the parliament and
government,” press reports said.
Turkey believes that the coup attempt, in which 250 people were killed
across the country, was orchestrated by the U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fethullah
Gulen and his followers in the military.
Mr. Gulen has denied any role in the coup.
Turkey has been pushing for Gulen’s extradition, while a continuing
crackdown has put more than 50,000 in prison and 150,000 others dismissed from
their posts.
(Xinhua/NAN)
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