Military Victims Of Feb. 28 Coup Demand Restoration Of Rights

Military officers who were either expelled from the military or faced disciplinary punishments during the days of the Feb. 28, 1997 coup have called for the restoration of their rights, similar to what was done for civilian victims of the coup.



A new law clears the way for former civil servants who were expelled from their government jobs due to disciplinary reasons during the Feb. 28 process to have their jobs back. During the Feb. 28 process, many civil servants' rights were taken away because of their alleged involvement in anti-secular activities. However, the new law does not apply to military victims of the coup. Hundreds of military officers were expelled from the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) at Supreme Military Board (YAŞ) meetings during the Feb. 28 coup due to their alleged involvement in anti-secular activities. Performing daily prayers or having a headscarf-wearing wife was interpreted back then as a sign of violation of the principle of secularism.



Honorary chairman of the Advocates of Justice Association (ASDER) Adnan Tanrıverdi, a retired senior general, told Today's Zaman that the steps taken for civil servants who were victimized by the coup should also be done for military victims of the coup.



"The victimization of military members is ongoing. It is an obligation to eliminate their victimization," he said.



Tanrıverdi complained that no legal steps have been taken to fully restore the rights of military victims of the coups and interventions in Turkey so far, adding that the rights of military members violated during the Feb. 28 coup had been partially restored in 2011 but no further steps have been taken.



(Cihan/Today's Zaman)