14/09/2010 12:40
Lawsuit against former Turkish President
A group of Turkish politicians and writers on Monday launched a lawsuit against the leaders of Turkey’s 1980 military coup, in the wake of this weekend’s successful constitutional referendum.
The group, including several members of the Kurdish BDP party, instigated the lawsuit against military leadership of General Kenan Evren, former Turkish President who seized power on September 12, 1980.
Sunday’s referendum saw Turkey vote for a constitutional reform in principle paves the way for the prosecution of those responsible for that coup. It abolishes Article 15 of the Constitution, which guaranteed lifelong immunity for those who masterminded the plot.
The case re-opens long-running conflicts between the secularist military, and the mildly Islamist current government.
The army has three times imposed a coup since 1960 against civilian governments.
Evren is still alive, although he is now 93. After his coup, approximately 650,000 people were arrested, and many executed.