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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan penned a letter to the families of the July 15 veterans and martyrs on the 2nd anniversary of the failed coup attempt orchestrated by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ).
Fearless march
“With pride and excitement, our country today celebrates July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day. I express gratitude on behalf of our country and nation to all our injured veterans who fearlessly marched forward that night for our homeland, sovereignty and future,” the letter penned by President Erdoğan read.
Erdoğan will later visit Istanbul's July 15 Martyrs' Bridge and the nearby Monument of Martyrs unveiled last year to honor those who lost their lives while resisting the putsch.
The Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016 in Turkey, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.
FETÖ is also behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.
Turkey is persistently continuing its fight against the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ).Turkey declared a state of emergency on July 20, 2016 following a failed coup attempt perpetrated by FETÖ on July 15. The state of emergency is due to be lifted next week. In the two years since the putsch, a total of 32 statutory decrees were issued and FETÖ terrorists who had infiltrated state institutions were purged.As a result, close to 125,000 public servants have been dismissed. In addition to this, many associations and foundations were shut down, and police and military officers with connections to FETÖ were also dismissed.Erdoğan to march in commemoration of second July 15 anniversaryMost dismissals from police forceThe most dismissals following the failed July 15 coup attempt were from the police force. Together with the Decree No. 701 recently published, a total of 38,056 people have been discharged within the Ministry of Interior. Additionally, 34,393 people were dismissed from the National Education Ministry, 14,633 from the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) and 4,836 from the Board of Judges and Prosecutors.Approximately 5,000 of those who were dismissed from their posts returned to their jobs following decisions by the State of Emergency Commission.Turkish representations abroad mark July 15Nearly 300 coup casesFollowing the putsch, 289 cases were opened across Turkey - 56 in Ankara and 53 in Istanbul, and the captured FETÖ putschists were put on trial. A total of 9,690 defendants have stood in front of a judge as result of these cases.Also, the medals of former national soccer players Hakan Şükür and Arif Erdem were revoked.Galeri: Bosnia releases balloons to commemorate martyrs of Turkey's failed coupAt least 250 people were martyred and nearly 2,200 injured in the July 15 failed coup which was perpetrated by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), led by ringleader Fetullah Gülen, who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania.Gülen pursued a long-running campaign to overthrow the Turkish government through the infiltration of state institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary, forming what is commonly known as the parallel state.
Turkey’s great struggle against FETÖ
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will attend a rally at Istanbul’s July 15 Martyrs Bridge to mark the second anniversary of the failed coup attempt.Erdoğan will first attend a commemoration ceremony to be held in Ankara as part of July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day.The Turkish president will later visit Istanbul's July 15 Martyrs' Bridge and the nearby Monument of Martyrs unveiled last year to honor those who lost their lives while resisting the putsch.Survivors share experiences of Turkey's deadly coup bidErdoğan will also join a march on the July 15 Martyrs' Bridge and deliver an address.The Fetullah Terror Organization (FETÖ) orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016 in Turkey, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.FETÖ is also behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.Turkish representations abroad mark July 15
Erdoğan to march in commemoration of second July 15 anniversary
A promise of a brighter of future ahead
In his letter, Erdoğan said that the nation not only protected the country from a coup attempt by safeguarding its sovereignty and future against FETÖ traitors who came out against it with tanks, helicopters and weapons, but that they simultaneously protected it from an occupation attempt.
“With God’s help, the prayers of the oppressed and destitute, and our nation’s courage, the blare of bullets fired by jets on that dark night was turned into a promise of even more brighter days to come for our country and nation thanks to the sacrifice of veterans such as yourselves,” the letter continued.
Our struggle continues
The letter sent to the martyrs’ families also read: “The significance of July 15 for those who lost their children, spouses, siblings and loved ones that night is, without a doubt, much more different and special. We look to our martyrs’ relatives as living monuments of sacrifice who said, “When it comes to the homeland, the rest is details. As state and nation, we full well know that no matter what we do, we will never be able to repay our debt to our martyrs’ relatives.”
Turkish citizens have found diverse ways to pay their respects to the martyrs of the July 15 failed coup attempt. Some visited cemeteries while others hiked to the top of mountains or went long distance bike riding.Turkey commemorates martyrs of failed July 15 coup
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