Turkey is commemorating the first anniversary of the thwarted coup attempt of 15 July 2016 as a remembrance for the strength and perseverance of the Turkish democracy and the State.

During the worst act of terror of in the history of the Turkish Republic, the putschists, which were a clandestine faction led by Fetullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), used figher jets to bomb the Turkish Parliament, the Presidential Compounds, the National Intelligence Headquartes, Special Forces Headquarters in an effort to subdue the resistance against them. They attempted to assasinate the President and the Prime Minister and used lethal weapons against innocent civilians who took to the streets to defend their democratic institutions. They killed unsuspecting military personnel who mistakenly took them for their comrades in arms and commanders who refused to take part in the attempt. In total, 250 Turkish citizens lost their lives and more than 2000 citizens were wounded. However, all the political parties, the uninfected elements of the Armed Forces, the Police Force and the media stood up against the putschists. Above all, it was the people of Turkey from all backgrounds and political views who resisted and displayed a historic example of solidarity as they stood selflessly in front of the tanks and reclaimed their democratic rights. As a result, the coup attempt ended in total failure.

After a year of extensive administrative criminal and judicial investigations, prosecutors have gathered crucial evidence pointing to the imprint of FETÖ behind the coup attempt. There are 78 ongoing court cases in 23 different provinces with regard to the perpetrators.

Due to the difficulty of confronting FETÖ’s sinister and clandestine structure, the Turkish Government is taking necessary and proportionate measures to eventually defeat this imminent threat, which is in fact a global enterprise with presence in more than 150 countries around the World through schools, NGOs, lobbyists, media outlets and companies.

The State of Emergency, which was declared immediately after the foiled terrorist coup attempt is in full conformity with the Turkish legislation and international obligations and is not intended to intervene in the daily lives of the citizens. As an eminent member of the UN, the OSCE and the Council of Europe, Turkey remains committed to strengthening its democratic credentials and to counter terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.