Tragicomic stories experienced during the process in Turkey

INTRODUCTION

The incident of July 15 is one of the most horrifying events staged to destroy the lives of the most distinguished people of this nation.

One of the significant consequences of July 15 was the dismissal of more than 130,000 people from their public duties through decree laws, without any judicial decision, interrogation, or questioning.

Those dismissed were not only Hizmet sympathizers. People with different opinions were also purged from bureaucracy and academia under the pretext of being "objectionable." Beyond individuals, hundreds of educational institutions, associations, foundations, newspapers, magazines, publishing houses, radios, televisions, and companies were shut down, and their assets were seized. As a result, hundreds of thousands of people were left unemployed overnight.

Those who labeled the Hizmet movement as "Parallel" during the December 17-25 process, after the event they considered "a blessing from God" on July 15, started calling all Hizmet sympathizers "terrorists" under the label of "Fethullahist Terror Organization / FETO." One case after another was filed against them, leading to endless arrests.

Decisions were made that had no place within any legal framework, completely defying logic and reasoning. In a country that transformed into a "one-man" regime, the judiciary, which was supposed to be independent, was acting under political influence. The deviation from the rule of law led to a cascade of errors. Two wrongs did not make a right. Since everything started on a false premise, each subsequent event contained absurdities, peculiarities, tragic elements, and even moments of comedy. And all of this was happening in this country.

Since all media outlets were broadcasting one-sidedly, conducting perception operations, events were presented in whatever way they wanted the public to perceive them. Society believed without questioning. No one gave a voice to the victims and the oppressed. That is why we can only learn about what these people have experienced through social media, gatherings of friends, or from the accounts of their families and close circles.

So many incredible incidents occurred during this process that one could not help but think, "This only happens in movies." Here are some extraordinary, absurd, and tragicomic real-life stories that will make you say, "This cannot be real..."

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If Someone Asks, "What Kind of Place is Turkey?" If someone asks, "What kind of place is Turkey?" you can say: "A university graduate sells bagels, a primary school graduate gives lectures to professors, and a middle school graduate with a fake diploma manages a bank."

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A Market Vendor with a Master’s Degree A decree law-dismissed police officer working as a market vendor had the following conversation with an elderly woman customer: Old woman: "Son, do you regret not going to school?" Vendor: "Ma’am, I am a university graduate, and I even have a master’s degree!" Old woman: "Is there a lot of money in this business?" This sums up the whole process! They have no idea what people have gone through. And the propaganda ensures they remain unaware.

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Dismissed for the Sole Reason of Being Married to a Dismissed Person! Azize Aydın and Nihal Semerci were dismissed from public service. In the "CONFIDENTIAL" document titled "List of state employees dismissed from duty" issued by the Trabzon Governorship on January 20, 2017, the reason for dismissal was stated as "dismissal of the spouse from public service under Decree Law No. 672." Sharing this document with the public, Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu voiced the plight of the victims, stating: "Confidential documents revealing the unlawfulness of the state of emergency… Tens of thousands of such cases happened in Turkey! In which constitution is there a provision for punishing someone because of their spouse?" Wasn’t there a principle in law that crimes are personal? Weren't we taught that no one could bear the sins of another according to our religious values?

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What's a soldier doing with the Quran? During an investigation, the house of a soldier was searched. His wife shared the experience: "While searching my house, a female police officer found a Quran in the wardrobe and ran to the living room, shouting, 'Mr. Prosecutor, I found a Quran!' What did the prosecutor do? He flipped through all the pages and said, ' What's a soldier doing with the Quran?" And all of this was happening under the shadow of a so-called conservative regime. (They claim to be a Muslim country, after all!)

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The Criteria for Terrorism is Force and Violence There are two universal criteria for terrorism: force and violence. Tens of thousands of people were detained, and their homes were searched. Not a single weapon was found. These people, who had never been involved in force or violence, were subjected to a genocide by being left to die.

• Using ByLock is not evidence of terrorist organization membership.
• Depositing money in Bank Asya is not evidence of terrorist organization membership.
• Attending religious gatherings is not evidence of terrorist organization membership.
• Receiving calls from a payphone is not evidence of terrorist organization membership.
• Working at certain institutions is not evidence of terrorist organization membership.
• Subscribing to certain newspapers or magazines is not evidence of terrorist organization membership.
• Possessing a book cannot be considered evidence of membership in a terrorist organization.

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301,000 Books Destroyed

A total of 301,878 books were destroyed "as part of the fight against terrorism." The Minister of Education of the time proudly announced this. It is estimated that the number of books destroyed without proper records is around 1 million. By comparison, the Nazis burned 25,000 books. This period might be unparalleled in this society's history in glorifying ignorance.

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Student Prosecuted for Attempting a Coup

On July 15, 2016, a case was filed against 62 students of Kuleli Military High School, aged between 14 and 16, on charges of attempting a coup. The prosecutor waited 5.5 years for them to turn 18 and demanded aggravated life sentences for the students. Previously, over a thousand former military school students were detained after turning 18. What kind of era is this, where even small children are made to wait until they come of age just to take revenge on them?

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An Oppression That Shakes the Heavens

In a district of the Aegean region, when police came to detain a teacher dismissed by a decree law (KHK), they took both parents, leaving their three children, aged 3, 5, and 8, alone at home. There was no adult left to look after them. One of the officers, feeling pity, called the prosecutor and requested permission for the mother to stay home. The prosecutor responded, "Did they ask me when they became terrorists?" and denied the request. As the parents were taken away, it was around dinner time. The eldest child ran to the elevator and said to the mother, "Mom, at least tell me how to make pasta so I can feed my siblings." (Source: Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu)

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Intent Read, Life Sentence Given

Another example from Elif Esra Kırımlı's experiences: "Two children who ran away from the bridge didn’t get punished. But those who were forced onto the bridge by orders were punished. What’s the criterion here? Do those who don’t escape get punished? Where is this written in the law? Does running or failing to run demonstrate my willpower? After being dragged into situations entirely beyond my control, my intentions are interpreted, and I receive a life sentence. For an 18-year-old student, this is a terrifying ordeal. Even the soldier who locked himself in a military vehicle upon learning about the coup attempt received a sentence." The signatures under decisions made by reading intentions will remain for decades. When real justice is restored, how will you account for these?

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Suspended for Giving Water A police officer was suspended for giving water to Hizmet sympathizers in custody. For a time, he worked in the private sector and has since returned to his post. His crime? "Giving water to someone in custody." Let’s hope that those who fabricate crimes out of thin air will one day be in desperate need of that same water.

No Questions About the Coup

Mustafa Alptekin, on trial for attempting a coup, said during his defense: “Your Honor, this is the 14th hearing, and not once have you asked me anything about the coup. Allow me to ask and answer the questions you should have been asking.” He asked himself and answered. The court became mute, like a wall. They weren’t there to uncover the truth or conduct a fair trial, but merely to execute orders.

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Punished for Making Vinegar from Fruit In a case heard at Ankara West Criminal Court, 11 women dismissed by a decree law (KHK) were accused of making vinegar from fruit purchased at the prison canteen. The prosecution is seeking up to 5 years in prison for this. This is not a joke; it’s real. This is happening in the heart of the capital. Woe to those who continue to pretend that law and justice still exist in this country.

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Guards Coming to the Dorm for Examination

Victim of decree-laws, former guard Fırat Celik: "There were 6 doctors in our dorm. They were all experienced. That winter, the weather was very cold, and everyone got sick. Prison officers from Balıkesir and the surrounding areas, unable to find doctors, came to our dorm for examination." (ARE YOU BEING EXAMINED BY TERRORISTS?)

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First ‘Terrorist,’ Then ‘Martyr’

On July 15th, you can be expelled as a terrorist, and the state, which fires you as a terrorist, will then recruit you into the military and give you a weapon; if you die, you will become a martyr, if not, you will face at least 6 years and 3 months for terrorism. Zekeriya was a policeman, and he was not going to join the army for this reason. However, a decree law severed him from his uniform. Later, the state, having expelled Zekeriya with the label of a terrorist, dressed him in another uniform and sent him to the army. Burak Zekeriya Altınok, who was a terrorist in police uniform, became a martyr in military uniform.

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Murder Committed Due to ByLock

Suspicious details regarding the death of Cerrahpaşa Medical School top graduate, Dr. İbrahim Halil Ozyavuz from Harran, who died while in detention in Silivri, began to emerge 4 years later. After he testified that ByLock was uploaded to his phone by İlyas Kaya, the husband of the former AKP minister Fatma Betül Kaya, it was announced that Ozyavuz had 'committed suicide.' However, the autopsy of the Harran doctor revealed signs of blunt force trauma to his skull. The doctor, arrested on May 4, 2018, passed away 27 days later on June 3, 2018. They had committed murder to claim that only Hizmet sympathizers used ByLock.

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Single Person ‘Terror Organization Dismantled’

On May 31, 2022, in a news story served to the media, it was stated: "The F…/PDY armed terrorist organization structure was dismantled in Siirt." However, only one person's photo appeared on the screen. This person was a 60-year-old woman, 50% disabled, suffering from diabetes and hypertension. The content of the news was: "After it was determined that they were active within the current structure of the F…/PDY terrorist organization, 14 suspects were detained in an operation." The alleged crime was assisting decree law detainees and those already in prison.

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'How Much Torture Can One Endure?'

In a typical July 15th report, they tell innocent people, "Tell us what we want to hear." If the defendant says, "I can't make up lies," they discuss among themselves, "How much torture can he endure?" There are thousands of such incidents.

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"Please Slap Me, I Beg You"

The incident took place in Mardin prison. Due to overcrowding, all dormitories were mixed with criminal offenders. A drug dealer was brought into the last dormitory. He enters, sits in an empty spot, turns to the others, and says, "Gentlemen, I use drugs. I’ll be in a temporary crisis because I won’t be able to find any substances for a while, I’ll lose control, and I might harm myself. But I won’t harm you. Don’t be afraid of me." Someone sitting opposite him says, "Don't worry, brother, I’m a doctor, I can help you." The drug dealer replies, "You don’t understand. I need a neurologist, not a doctor." From the upper bunk, someone says, "Brother, no problem, I’m a neurologist. We’ll handle it, don’t worry." Another one comes over and says, "Brother, I’m a psychiatrist. We’ll talk, and hopefully, you’ll quit this addiction." The man turns to the other side, "What do you do, bro?" "I was a police chief." He turns behind him, "And you?" "I was a prosecutor, and this is a teacher." The person next to him says, "I was a department head at the tax office." The drug dealer says, "Damn, I told them not to mix this stuff with bonzai, but I couldn’t make them listen. What kind of mind did I catch, did I go into a crisis, where the hell am I? Please, slap me, I beg you." (WHAT CAN ONE SAY, WHETHER YOU WANT TO LAUGH OR CRY)

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Why Did You Go to the Picnic? In Sakarya, they arrested students and asked, "Why did you go to the picnic?" In Uşak, they arrested people and asked, "Why did you stay in the same house?" In Karabük, they arrested people and asked, "Why did you have iftar together?" They established a justice system that includes routine activities in the natural flow of life under the category of "terror." Can you see the point where justice is lost? "The scale whose balance you disturb will eventually weigh you."

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Do You Have a Request? In a court, the president asked someone who was being tried for involvement with the movement, "Do you have a request?" The person responded, "I want my detention to continue." The judge replied, "Rejected." Then the person asked, "So you’re releasing me, right?" We don't know what happened next. Did the judge, used to rejecting every request, apply the decision? Or did they take a step back? That remains unknown. One thing is clear: the decisions made give us clues about the state of mind and consciousness with which they were made.

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The Atmosphere Here Changed Thanks to You

The account of the wife of an imprisoned individual: "I went to visit my husband in Silivri, and somehow, they had brought in a criminal offender who had been processed for drugs into my husband's dormitory. I met his mother, and her comment was exactly this: 'Oh my God, thank you for this F… movement. Thanks to you, the atmosphere here has changed. Now, my friends are either teachers, doctors, or professors. I keep talking about you in the neighborhood. I hope my son also gets rid of this addiction and learns to read and write, just like yours did.'"

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Offer to Fix the Radio for the Radiologist

A person detained had a tragicomic dialogue: Chief Sergeant: "What is your profession?" "I am a radiologist." Chief Sergeant: "You can fix our radio now."

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The Therapist’s Nightmare That Led to Therapy

An American professor came to Athens to analyze the lives of Hizmet movement members and write a book. After meeting with them, he said, "After hearing your stories, I had nightmares. I sought therapy. Then the therapist who listened to me also had nightmares and sought therapy. I am very upset."

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Damaged the Bridge

Even wickedness is a skill. Not everyone can do it. Many things they do effortlessly, you can’t even imagine. Even if you tried, it wouldn’t happen. Because they have reached Nirvana in wickedness. After Harbiyeli Murat Tekin, who was martyred by having his throat cut on the bridge, they used the excuse of "damaging the bridge" to seize his family’s car, five and a half years after the incident.

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3 Doctors in a 23-Person Dormitory

On the evening of May 8, 2018, we were watching the news with friends in the dormitory. There was a news story about "a hospital in Kars with no doctor." On that day, in our 23-person dormitory, there were 3 doctors. This meant that 3 doctors were responsible for 20 people. Furthermore, these doctors were the most qualified in their fields. (Based on my experiences…)

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The Diagnosis They Couldn’t Make, Maybe You Could Take a Look

There are many stories of prison doctors unable to solve clinical cases, but finding solutions by consulting the professors of the prison's medical faculty, categorized by their specialties. A prison guard once brought a medical test and imaging results for his sick wife to a medical professor who was in prison. He asked, "Professor, they couldn't make a diagnosis, could you take a look?" The issue with the uterus was resolved with the professor’s remote guidance, and the woman was treated and regained her health. It was like a scene from the movie "The Green Mile"! Another example: "In the prison I stayed at, one evening, a guard called out to our doctor friend through the door. He was showing the lab test results and medical reports. Later, we found out that the guard had gone to the hospital where the doctor used to work. After completing the treatment, the doctors there told him, 'Show these results to your friend in the prison where you work.'” This scene reminded me of a part from the movie Kandahar.

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Guests at the House Searched Were Taken into Custody

In a single-person regime known for unlawful practices, which have even been reflected in international reports, they made yet another unlawful decision that left everyone speechless. The police not only searched a house but also took the guests at the house into custody and brought them to court.

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The State Has Really Wasted You

An academic in prison, unable to eat his bread, handed it to the officer and said, "Take this bread, I haven’t touched it, so it doesn’t go to waste." The officer responded, "Professor, this state has really wasted you. What would happen if the bread was wasted?"

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"FG" License Plate Group

After the coup attempt, many license plates with the letters "FG" were swapped for new ones, and car owners were investigated. In line with a directive sent by the General Directorate of Security to all provincial police departments, car owners who did not want an "FG" plate were informed that they would receive plates from other letter groups "according to the order of request." "FG" represented the initials of Fethullah Gülen, a key figure associated with the movement. This is an atrocity that no one would expect.

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48 Days Off for Reading 12 Books

In Brazilian prisons, prisoners who read 12 books a year get a 48-day reduction in their sentence. In Turkey, those who write or read books end up in prison. In fact, some lose their opportunity for probation because they kept reading the same book in prison. 259 "If you can feel pain, you're alive. If you can feel the pain of others, you're human." (Tolstoy)

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Mom, This Sweater Smells Just Like Dad

We were traveling in a bus to the open visitation in Ankara with the parents. There were also spouses of military officers on the bus. Anyway, after the visit, we were on the way back. A little girl, about 5 or 6 years old, sitting in front of me, holding a sweater, said to her mother, "Mom, this sweater smells just like Dad." (Mom and Dad were made to long for their child, while the child longed for her parents.)

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English Book Ban in Silivri Prison

After the majority of high scores in the Foreign Language Exam (YDS) came from military students in Silivri Prison, a ban was imposed on English books in the prison. Did you know this? It’s likely you don’t because no media outlet published this news—nor could they. Only cowards try to block success, achievement, and science. ("Let them go hungry, let them obey, let them be ignorant and submissive.")

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The Pain of Everything Will Pass, But Not Betrayal - Torture During Detention

Zafer Şen tells: "I remember three young men when I was detained. They had the future of the country in their eyes. 'Where are you from? What are the charges?' they asked me. Then they added, 'They’ll take you around 10 AM, strip you down… Then they’ll tie you to a chair. But don't be afraid, stay strong and grit your teeth.' The phrase that stuck with me was: 'The pain of everything passes, but betrayal never does.' By the fourth day, I managed to speak and said, 'Guys, you didn’t tell me everything, they’re full of surprises.' 'Brother, today is the 27th day for us, and we’ve forgotten some parts, it seems...'"

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Did You Ask Me Before Having a Baby?

Ayşe Şeyma Taş, who was supposed to be released under law number 5275 but was arrested with her 25-day-old baby, was mocked by the judge, who said, "Did you ask me before having a baby?" Ayşe Şeyma Taş and her baby are still in custody.

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Can You Release My Father?

A little girl’s encounter with soldiers during a visit… “My daughter had struck up a conversation with the soldiers doing ID checks during the visitation. She asked, 'Could you release my dad?' They didn’t want to disappoint her, so they answered, 'There are bad people outside, and we are keeping your father here to protect him from them.'”

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ByLock - David Keynes (Alpaslan Demir)

David Keynes, the license holder for ByLock (Alpaslan Demir), was acquitted based on active repentance during a trial at the 29th High Criminal Court of Istanbul. In Turkey, tens of thousands of people lost their jobs or were arrested due to ByLock. Sadly, the creator of ByLock is free, while the users are still in prison. This decision shows that they could not explain or justify to the international community the criminal sentences imposed on people for using ByLock under accusations of terrorism.

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What Didn’t They Tell These People?

In the process, the tortures after July 15 are the verbal manifestation of their actions… “The witch hunt is a witch hunt, we will do it!” @RTErdogan "Don’t let them annoy me, I can have two police officers and a prosecutor declare the movement a terrorist organization." @RTErdogan "Let them eat the scent of trees!" @avosmanzabun "It's spoils, spoils!" @metinhocaefendi "We’ll torture them in prison so much that they’ll wish they were dead!" @ZeybekciNihat "We’ll hang their dead bodies on flagpoles!" @sedat_peker “For the children drowned in Meric, 'If they had lived, they would have been terrorists.'" @ZeynepCoşkunTR “We’ll bathe in their blood.” @sedat_peker “When you return, we’ll shoot you in the head.” @aliaktas7 “Break the door and enter, we’ll make the law after you.” @efkanala In a rule-of-law state, this is called GENOCIDE! When real justice comes, they will be judged.

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A Family Torn to Pieces

A family from Arsin, Trabzon, torn apart… The father was an academician dismissed under the KHK (Decree Law). He was arrested after July 15 and served six years in prison before being released. He was imprisoned for six years without cause. The mother, Esra Yeşil, is a teacher on religious culture. She was arrested on March 30, 2022, and sentenced to 7.5 years in prison. The children who grew up without their father for six years will now spend another six years without their mother.

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Scandalous Decision

Şerife Sulukan, a paralyzed woman who was taken to hospital 2 days ago for heart surgery, was given a 'can stay in prison' report. The report stated she was in constant need of help and was unable to care for herself. What does "she can stay in prison" mean for someone who needs assistance from others? What kind of law and conscience could justify this? Time Shows That Paradise Is Not Cheap, and Hell Is Not Useless. (Bediüzzaman Said Nursi)

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The Cell Where Criminal Prisoners Serve Their Solitary Confinement

We know that many prisons are overcrowded, with cells holding three to four times their capacity. There are even cells where triple bunk beds are added to accommodate more prisoners. One of the most striking cases happened in Sakarya. In a seven-person cell where young university students were being held, 28 people were cramped into the space. Solitary confinement sentences for criminal prisoners were also being served in the same cell! What kind of cruelty is this, for God's sake?

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A State Does Not Take Revenge on a Baby!

No ideology, no state reflex, no law takes revenge on a baby! When Miraz Baby's mother was transferred to another prison, the baby was left alone. Authorities handed the baby over to the lawyer. This is a baby. No living creature is ever separated from its offspring, but this is what they subjected little Miraz to. This is what they made mothers and babies endure!

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Who Is a Traitor, Who Is a Hero? One Day It Will All Come Out

The number of soldiers involved in the coup attempt was 1,500, while 25,000 soldiers were dismissed. The police had no involvement in the coup and even prevented it. The number of police officers dismissed was 41,000, and 39,000 teachers were also dismissed. In total, 600,000 people were dismissed. There are some who only think about themselves, and there are others who sacrifice themselves for the people. When the truth about July 15 comes to light, those you see as heroes will be traitors, and those you see as traitors will turn out to be heroes. When time passes and the waters calm, it has often been observed that fictional heroes and fictional traitors swap places in the realm of reality. AKP MP Şamil Tayyar, referring to Hulusi Akar, said, "If July 15 is ever uncovered, those we call heroes today will be the coup plotters, and those we called traitors will be the complete opposite."

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The Policeman Who Tortured Was Given a War Hero Title

Musa Kılıçaslan, a Special Operations Officer who was wounded in a 2012 conflict in Van, testified about the tortures he and his friends endured in December 2019 at the 23rd High Criminal Court in Ankara. After the tortures, he was taken to a doctor. The doctor said, "There’s nothing to worry about. Your ribs are broken, you might have had a brain injury. The prosthetics in your leg may have been dislodged due to the beating, that's why you can’t move your leg. I’ll refer you to the hospital." However, the doctor was threatened and wrote in the examination report that "there was no injury or force." He also described how, on that same day, police officers tortured a young female pilot, tried to strip her in front of everyone, and threatened her, saying, "We’ll all rape you here." A female officer was taken into custody from her home, where she had been in her pijamas, and it was revealed that she hadn’t even left her home that night. She was acquitted. While torturing someone, a police officer broke their cheekbone, injuring his own hand in the process. Despite this, the torturing police officer was awarded the title of war hero. The brutality of the torture was so extreme that no one wanted their families to hear about it. Famous Turkish poet Mehmet Akif Ersoy’s words " Humans have surpassed hyenas in ferocity. " perfectly describe the perpetrators of those days.

Those Who Say They Were "Fooled" Are at the Top of the State Those who say, "I was fooled, may God forgive me," are at the top of the state, while I, even if I say I was fooled, will have to spend at least two years in prison. And there’s no reinstatement to my job. We are experiencing a tragicomic situation from top to bottom. (91)

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The Coffin Without Municipality Logo

Gökhan Acıkkollu, a teacher, died due to the torture he endured. The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) initially refused to provide a vehicle for his funeral and later attempted to bury him in a "traitor's cemetery." His family, determined to take his body to his village, began a painful process to retrieve it. They were kept waiting for a long time. When they asked why, they learned that the municipality didn’t want to give a coffin with the “Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality” logo on it. Eventually, the family found a non-standard coffin, without a logo, and were able to transport his body to the village. Imams affiliated with the Diyanet refused to conduct the funeral prayer. Teacher Gökhan was found innocent after 1.5 years and reinstated to his position.

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"Let Them Die, They Have No Records"

Captain Erkan Demir: A police officer started hitting me with plastic handcuffs, using them like a whip. The marks are still on my body. While beating me, they also hurled unspeakable insults. One of them said, “Can Armenians come out of Eskişehir?” The police officers in the room said, “We were ordered to hit without any questioning; if we wanted, we could kill all of you right here. We’re being merciful. Your wives and daughters are ours now; they’ll beg on the streets, become prostitutes. Your properties, your daughters, and your businesses are our spoils." There were severely wounded individuals coming out of the lynching corridor, with bleeding that wouldn’t stop. Health workers said, "They need to be taken to the hospital." But the police prevented it, saying, “Let them die, they have no records.” This phrase is a slogan of ISIS, reflecting their outlook on life. Today, I can’t believe it was the Turkish police using that language. I still can't believe it, and I don’t want to believe it.

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A Judicial System That Can Even Arrest the Dead and Dismiss Them

Let me share a tragic event related to the lawlessness of the judges and prosecutors after the July 15th coup attempt, and how they made decisions based on their surveillance lists... 47-year-old Public Prosecutor Seyfettin Yiğit’s file listed him as “Opposition,” and he was one of the thousands of judicial officials arrested immediately after July 15th. Unable to endure the treatment he received, he died in prison on September 15, 2016. His death was recorded as suicide. Even though he passed away in May 2016, he was dismissed from his profession on August 31, 2016, through a decree-law (KHK). The prosecutor demanded that the detention of 335 people, including the deceased Seyfettin Yiğit, continue. Judge Firdevs Suer made a decision regarding so many people in one day and ruled that Yiğit’s detention would continue, essentially showing that detention hearings were just a formality. This is the state of the judiciary after July 15th: a lawless power that, without updating its surveillance lists, could even arrest and dismiss the dead.

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"I Expected You to Be Honest"

During a meeting with a Dutch female lawyer, when I explained the "ankesor" incident, she didn’t believe it, thinking it was fabricated. She said, “I expected you to be honest.” When I showed her the news in the newspapers and translated them, she couldn’t hide her shock.

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"We Couldn't Have Dismissed Them in Normal Circumstances"

Numan Kurtulmuş confessed the reason for the July 15th coup attempt with the following words: "In normal circumstances, if we had tried to dismiss those on the KHK list, it would have taken until 2030 to remove them from civil service." In other words, he’s saying, "We trampled on the constitution." According to the principle, "Whoever benefits from an event is the perpetrator," this is a prime example of a confession.

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14-Year-Old Using ByLock!

A mother’s cry for her child, who was detained on the same day as her: "My son, my brave one, he had been held in custody for two days. The accusations? Opening a bank account at the age of 10! Using ByLock at the age of 14! They put handcuffs on him."

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I Tried to Get Myself Run Over

Metin Doğan, known for lying in front of a tank at Atatürk Airport on July 15 and being hailed as a hero, stated in his testimony: “I tried really hard to get myself run over. When the tank stopped, I got up.” Do you believe a real coup plotter would have done such a thing in front of a soldier, and that the soldier would have refrained from touching him after being provoked this much? The soldiers, who were sent out due to terrorist attacks and various other reasons, chose to provoke when they realized the truth. Nevertheless, the majority of soldiers kept their composure and sacrificed themselves.

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The Parliament Was Bombed!

In the indictment about Akıncı, the first bomb dropped on the Parliament was at 02:35, and the second at 03:24. However, in the prosecutor’s report signed at 01:00—an hour and a half before the bombing—it states that the Parliament had already been bombed and there were fatalities, even though no one had died in the Parliament at that time. This shows everything had been planned in advance. Also, a Fox TV reporter, while broadcasting live from a dominant point near the Parliament, said, “There was an explosion in the Parliament, but no plane flew by close.” Later, radar images revealed the Parliament had not been bombed, exposing the lie.

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Another Ridiculous Allegation

A person who was dismissed for sending their child to a school linked to the Gülen movement defended themselves during their trial: “Your Honorable Judge! When you say to me that 'You sent your child to school,' I was 13 years old at the time, and medically, it would have been impossible for me to have a child.”

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What Do You Want from the Sick Elderly with Bent Bends?

Mustafa Özdemir, who had advanced Alzheimer's disease, was detained on August 12, 2016, as if he were responsible for the coup. When the police came to arrest him, it was during the Friday prayer. Uncle Mustafa, whose life revolved around the mosque and his home, approached one of the officers and asked, “Can I go to Friday prayers?” Incredibly, the officers allowed him to go to the mosque, convinced that he wouldn't harm anyone. His wife tried to explain his condition, saying, "He’s sick, he can’t stay anywhere other than home, he’s on medication," but they couldn’t understand. They even threatened her, saying, “If you talk any more, we’ll take you too.” The officers confiscated a few books from legally established publishing houses and old newspaper clippings wrapped in jars from the cellar. Mustafa Uncle was held in detention for days. The officers who saw Uncle Mustafa clinging to the iron bars, asking to go home in the middle of the night, were so ashamed of what had been done that they cried. On the 11th day, a doctor’s report was presented to the judge. Uncle Mustafa was released under judicial control, with all his assets, except for his pension, frozen. By the time he returned home, he couldn’t remember the direction of the Qibla, the prayer times, or even the rooms in his house. His wife had to take him for signatures for months. He passed away at the age of 75, having forgotten why he was signing, and was quietly buried in his village. Uncle Mustafa! Even though you forgot, God will never forget the injustice done to you.

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'A Terrorist' with 96 percent disability!

Fatma Comert, 28 years old and born with a muscular disease, and 96% disabled, was sentenced to 6 years and 3 months for membership in an armed terrorist organization. She mentioned how everyone, from the police to the prosecutor and even the judge, was shocked by the situation, yet she was convicted for terrorist organization membership. Fatma said, “How could I be a terrorist? I can’t move my hands or feet. I’m 96% disabled. It’s such a ridiculous, even tragicomic situation.”

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They Martyr Themselves by Banging Their Heads on F-16s!

Former AKP MP and now Rector, Sociologist-Author Prof. Dr. Mazhar Bağlı, in a 'heroism epic,' stated: “On the night of July 15, there were people who martyred themselves by banging their heads against F-16s flying at low altitudes from the 11th floor…” He’s lost control to the point of making such absurd statements. They’re mocking the public! This is just one of many fabricated stories about heroism, martyrdom, and military honors, which were later proven to be lies.

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Interesting Scenes from the July 15th Musical

July 15 caused all the damage that a coup against civil and democratic life could cause. The legislature and judiciary came under the control of the executive, specifically under the dominion of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Every day, a new price is being put before us. On the night of July 15, a small portion of the soldiers who went out on the streets were seen to be misled under the command structure, being told that it was either a coup, a terrorist attack, or a military exercise. Celalettin Lekesiz, the then Director General of Police, shared interesting anecdotes with the Parliamentary Research Commission on November 8, 2016. After Erdoğan’s departure, the SAT unit was sent to Marmaris two hours later... The military academy students who were taken from a camp in Yalova by bus to the bridge to be lynched by the public... The military academy students left in the General Staff garden with unloaded weapons... The list goes on. The coup plotters should be held accountable, but soldiers who were trapped or never even went out on the streets are being tried. The accounts of those lynched are not being sought. They inflicted much cruelty without distinction between the innocent and the guilty. On the night of the coup attempt, there’s a famous video where a citizen is seen throwing stones at an F-16 from a rooftop. While F-16s made hundreds of dives over Kızılay Square, citizens climbed onto the rooftops and threw bolts, nuts, and other objects at the planes flying in formation.

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The Author of the Book You Requested is in the Next Ward

In August 2018, a humorous article was published in the French media about Turkey. “One of the detainees requested a book from the library. The guard replied, ‘That book is unavailable, but the author is detained. If you like, you can speak to him in the yard of the ward.’” (From what I’ve heard…)

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