Turkish human rights activists to sue organizers of military coup in 1980

Turkish non-governmental organizations, trade unions and human rights
activists have filed a complaint with the court against ex-President
Kenan Erven for organizing a military coup in 1980, Trend reports,
citing Xinhua.

Taking the general to court became possible after he lost court
immunity with the introduction of constitutional amendments in the
referendum on Sunday.

The constitutional amendments, initiated by the ruling Justice and
Development Party, received 51% votes for and 41.98% votes against.
26 amendments were introduced to the Constitution that was adopted
after the military coup of 1980, now allowing civilian courts to
initiate cases against military personnel.

Human rights activists made complaints in Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir,
demanding Erven and two other leaders of the coup be punished.

50 people were executed after the coup on September 12th 1980, with
hundreds of thousands arrested, many of whom were tortured, and
hundreds dying in prisons and many missing. General Erven became the
president until 1989.

Erven said that military involvement was necessary because it put an
end to the long period of violence between left-wing and right-wing
groups, which killed approximately 5,000 people.

In 2009, in an interview to the ‘Hurriet’ newspaper, Erven promised to
commit suicide if anyone tries to put him on trial.