15.07.2026 08:20
10 years have passed since the failed coup attempt by FETÖ traitors. The Turkish people, standing hand in hand with the state, gave a democracy lesson that will go down in world political history on the night of July 15, when Turkey was on the brink of a disaster. From the Presidential Complex to the Bosphorus Bridge; from Kuleli Military High School to Atatürk Airport, many sites were inscribed in the pages of history as cornerstones of this resistance.
The Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), using elements infiltrated within the Turkish Armed Forces that acted outside military hierarchy, attempted a coup on July 15, 2016. As a result of bombs dropped from warplanes, and fire opened from helicopters, tanks, and weapons targeting civilians, 253 citizens were martyred. 2,196 people were wounded. In the clashes, 34 coup plotters were captured dead.
390 THOUSAND SUSPECTS DETAINED
According to General Directorate of Security records, 390,354 suspects, including those who played an active role on the ground and those who gave orders, were detained. Across Turkey, 289 cases were filed regarding those directly involved in the actual coup attempt, and all of these cases were concluded by the first instance courts. Among the defendants, 4,891 received sentences. While 1,634 were sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment and 1,366 to life imprisonment, 1,891 defendants received prison sentences of various durations.
TREASONOUS PLAN APPROVED BY GULEN
Although the July 15 coup attempt was carried out by uniformed officers within the military, behind it, among its planners and directors, were Fethullah Gulen, the head of FETÖ living in the USA, and his imams in Turkey. FETÖ's cadres within the police, judiciary, and telecommunications sector were also assigned to play a specific role in the coup. If the coup attempt had succeeded, the goal was not just a change of government but also a change of regime.
One of the top figures in the coup attempt, Adil Oksuz, went to the USA before July 15, had the coup plan approved by Gulen, and immediately returned to Turkey. On the night of July 15, when Turkey turned back from the brink of a disaster, the Turkish people gave a lesson in democracy that would go down in world political history.
THE AIM WAS GOVERNING THE COUNTRY
Although it presented itself through religious values, helping those in need, and educational support, its real aim was to seize control of the country's governance. FETÖ, highly confident in its presence within the bureaucracy, wanted to use this power to have a say in politics and the administration of the country. However, seeing in the November 1, 2015 elections that its efforts to infiltrate politics were not yielding the desired results, Fethullah Gulen made the decision for the coup that day. The path to July 15 was paved over 8 months.
MIT'S NET CLOSES IN ON FUGITIVES
Diplomatic, legal, and intelligence operations continue for the extradition to Turkey of FETÖ members who fled abroad after the July 15 coup attempt. While official extradition requests for fugitives have been made to over 100 countries through the Ministry of Justice, coordinated cross-border operations by the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and security forces have brought over 100 terrorist organization members, including so-called senior leaders, from more than 20 countries across Europe, Asia, and Africa to Turkey, delivering them to justice. Over the past 10 years, MIT has conducted a total of 1,710 operations against FETÖ, enabling legal proceedings against 6,906 organization members, of whom 4,403 were arrested and sent to prison.
NUMBER OF DETAINEES RISES TO 704
On the morning of July 13, coordinated by the Ministries of Justice and Interior, operations were conducted against 968 suspects within the scope of FETÖ investigations by the chief public prosecutor's offices of 81 provinces. The number of suspects detained within the scope of these operations became 704. Efforts continue to capture 269 suspects.
"IN OUR THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF HISTORY..."
Meanwhile, the "Panel on the 10th Anniversary of July 15: The Will is Ours, The Victory is Ours" was held at the Presidency's Directorate of Communications. Communications Director Burhanettin Duran sent a video message to the panel. Stating that the state and the nation showed an epic resistance against the bloody coup attempt, Duran said, "The night of July 15, 2016, was a night that shaped our nation's future in every aspect. We owe the victory of that night to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's determined and independent political stance and leadership from the very first moments. In Istanbul, our capital Ankara, and many parts of Turkey, millions heeded our President's call, poured into the streets, and the nation defended its will. In our thousands of years of history, there is no bowing to captivity, treason, or vile schemes. This historical mission manifested once again on July 15."
"A THREAT TO EVERY COUNTRY"
"Today, we have erased the traces of the FETÖ structure from our state and our country," Duran said, adding: "FETÖ members whose extradition Turkey requests are located in various countries and are almost being supported there. Our call to all countries that are friends of Turkey and wish to nurture and grow this friendship is this: We expect our friends to stand by us and act with a sense of loyalty against structures that target our nation's sovereignty and our democracy. Because FETÖ is not just a national security issue concerning Turkey alone. FETÖ is an open threat to every country where it operates."
Duran stated, "Mainstream media narratives can overshadow the realities of societies. Therefore, even though we are in different geographies, we must be aware that we face similar problems and should produce common solutions to global issues. Turkey's July 15 experience carries a universal meaning in this regard."