Istanbul Prosecutor Demands Life Sentence for 159 Ex-Soldiers Over Coup Attempt

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - An Istanbul prosecutor on Friday requested life imprisonment for nearly 160 former servicemen over attempts to seize the city's Ataturk Airport during the July 15, 2016, coup attempt, Daily Sabah newspaper reported.

According to the Daily Sabah, the prosecutor claimed that the soldiers had planned to prevent people from leaving and entering the country by taking control of the airport and suspending flights.

The prosecutor is seeking the life sentences over charges of attempting to overthrow the government, terrorist group membership, premeditated murder and violating the constitution, the newspaper said.

On July 15, 2016, a military coup attempt took place in Turkey. It was suppressed the following day, but left over 240 people killed and an estimated 2,000 wounded. After Turkey faced the attempted military takeover a year ago, Ankara accused Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, who has been living in the United States since 1999, and his followers of playing a key role in the coup attempt. The cleric has refuted the allegations.

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More than 50,000 people have been arrested and 100,000 dismissed or suspended from their jobs within the post-coup crackdown within Turkey. Ankara's actions have been repeatedly criticized by the European Union, which accused the government of violating human rights under the guise of a national state of emergency.