Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Legal News Blogs -> JURIST - The Paper Chase

Legal News

: JURIST - The Paper Chase

Turkish authorities charge 33 for alleged coup plot

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] The Turkish government indicted 33 people Friday on charges of attempting to overthrow the government and establish military rule. The accused, some of whom include high-ranking military officials, are alleged to have plotted with a secret group called Ergenekon to assassinate prominent members of Turkey's Christian and Jewish minority groups, blame Islamic terrorists for the deaths, and seize power in the process. The plot was never carried out. A trial date is set for June 15. Earlier this week, Turkish police detained 20 people in connection with the alleged Ergenekon plot. Turkish prosecutors recently charged an army general and a state prosecutor with belonging to Ergenekon and plotting to overthrow Turkey's ruling Justice Development Party (AKP). In February, more than 40 military officers were arrested and charged with a separate plot, the so-called Sledgehammer plot, to stage a coup by provoking a military confrontation with Greece and take advantage of the ensuing chaos. The Ergenekon investigation has been criticized as an attempt by the AKP to silence the opposition and impose islamic principles on secular Turkey. Trials against the Ergenekon group started two years ago.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on March 20, 2010 (boomark / email).