While I could be potentially sympathetic to the authors’ argument, their pandering anti-AKP and anti-Islam groups in their attempt to acquit Mr. Cetin Dogan bothers me. Let me give two examples of this sloppiness, if not a deliberate strategy.

1) Taraf is NOT an Islamist daily. It is a liberal-leftist one. Its editorial policy could be characterized by its anti-militarism and its defense of human rights of minorities, particularly that of Kurdish minority. Making Taraf part of this Islamist conspiracy and reducing Turkish politics is a struggle between Islamists and secuaralists distort the complexity of Turkish politics—for sure it distorts where Taraf stands.

2) While the authors are so scrupulous in pointing out the problems and inconsistencies in prosecutors’ indictment for Cetin Dogan, they do not hesitate to hint that Mr. Fethullah Gulen may be behind this without offering absolutely any evidence. Gulen is legal resident of the U.S.. There is no court case against him. And the court cases against him in Turkey did not charge him with any crime. It was because of Mr. Dogan and likes in the military forced Gulen to live in the US rather than his country. There is not scrap of evidence to link this case to Mr. Gulen. If one complains about false accusations of their loved ones, he/she should show extreme care not to commit the same problem. The authors fail on this.

Essentially, the problem the authors are facing is this: They suggest that so-called sledgehammer case is a fabricated conspiracy. To explain the fabricated nature of this particular case, they suggest their own conspiracy. Now, given the some evidence pointing to the army’s shady actions (Turkey experienced 4 coups since 1960—possibility of a 5th should not be taken lightly), and no evidence that Islamist or Gulen group behind this, why should I accept the authors’ own conspirational account? To fabricate a conspiracy to defeat what the authors’ perceive a conspiracy does not make any sense. Worse, it removes the weight of moral power and sincerity from the authors' case.

Turan

first: I enjoyed this article very much, because the content comes from a family member of the alleged general. It give a personal yet probably somewhat biased point of view. I am a liberal democrat turk, live all over the world, and all I know is whether coup or not, conspiracy or not, Theres one big thing that all turks are blinded too in this big mess, and its that the real goal is for the country to develop, for welfare to increase, for democratization. I however do not see this in turkey in the near future. Even if there were a coup actually happening, what was going to happen when erdogan went down? Baykal was supposed to come? to be honest with you, i dont support the AKP but i would NOT want baykals reverseminded, selfish mind at the head of the state. The man is a dinosaur, and wont leave the party.

What this country needs is another Ataturk. Without a leader like him or that at least reminds us of him, this country will never NEVER reach its full potential, period. That is why the military is there to protect his ideas, what he stood for and what he created in this country. Unfortunately all the politicians forget this fact, its a sad story how when these me get power they quickly forget about ataturk and quickly forget the reason they are in those parliamental seats.

Corruption is vast in this country unfortunately, it is a sad story to say but it is the truth.

I would like to initially point out that I am not particularly informed on the situation in Turkey

I do not think that the Turkish military is the 'victim' nor can it ever claim the 'victim.' I draw my opinion from the ergenekon affair (they did find a weapons cache right?), the Susurluk scandal, extra-judicial killings against the Kurds, and the series of coups, etc.

It's widely known (ex. New Concept of National Military Strategy) that the Turkish military regards any Islamic movement and the Kurds as the enemy of the Turkish state. (treatment of Erbakan).

Given this, it is difficult to trust the Turkish military nor feel any sympathy for it. Perhaps if the author didn't talk about a, "shadowy third group," the article may have some more credibility.

This is about a power struggle - plain and simple. Certainly many of the claims are preposterous, but let's not place the military in the role of victim.

If I was in the EU, I would steadfastly oppose Turkish entry to the EU. News events like this reinforce the idea that Islam is incompatible with democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Sadly, Turkey is considered "liberal" when it comes to Islam.

1- You say

"The prosecutors have refused to release any of their evidence to Dogan's lawyers.."

and say

"The documents also include other material that has clearly been manufactured"

How do you know?

2- "nor have they provided it to the military prosecutors, who are conducting their own independent investigation and have found nothing to corroborate the charges"

I'm turkish and know how 'independent' the military prosecutors are!

Best,

I do not think that the Turkish military is the 'victim' nor can it ever claim the 'victim.' I draw my opinion from the ergenekon affair (they did find a weapons cache right?), the Susurluk scandal, extra-judicial killings against the Kurds, and the series of coups, etc.

I do not think that the Turkish military is the 'victim' nor can it ever claim the 'victim.' I draw my opinion from the ergenekon affair (they did find a weapons cache right?), the Susurluk scandal, extra-judicial killings against the Kurds, and the series of coups, etc.
http://www.sosisli.net

The ruling party has actually been very successful in getting the world press to say "Ah, the Turkish government has finally brought the dastardly armed forces to heel"--for instance in Newsweek the arrests were greeted as a symbol of
freedom from armed forces interference. What is missing is the background that while the army has been guilty of many things, it has also served as a protector of Kamelism and the seven arrows or points of Kameilsm, that is the vision of Attaturk for a more secular, modernist society (where, ironically, Islam could regain it's eminence in science and other fields that had been abandoned for many reasons).

Unfortunately, because this article is written by those related to the accused it will be seen as not objective, of being biased, and missing will be the attempts by the ruling party to change the fabric of administration and of academic dialogue so that gradually womens rights, secularist priorities to avoid the slide to old practices as an excuse for piety--in short anti-Kemalism--can be
maligned, then disregarded, in favor of an Islamist view of society and a backwards vision of the future(sic).

I don't know when the photograph accompanying the article was taken but prominently display is a Turkish soldier carrying the venerable M1 Garand. It is sort of refreshing in our era of plastic assault rifles to see the 'old guy' still doing duty.

Alright, as much as I don't want to implicate the messenger, it is not very helpful for the case when the daughter and son-in-law are using a respectable outlet to defend a family member. One can reasonably suspect that weren't it for their Ivy League faculty credentials they would probably not get past the reader's comments section to express their opinion.

One important detail this conspiracy scenario leaves out is that the retired Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok and ret. Gen Cetin Dogan are not exactly in agreement on what happened during the period in focus. There are suggestions and indications of Ozkok actually grilling Dogan on the illegality of the latter's activities in the immediate aftermath of the alleged coup workshop. There seems to be some evidence to suggest that the current joint chiefs of staff Gen. Basbug, who then was the Army Chief of Staff, actually wrote and signed a report alleging that what happened in the workshop went outside the boundaries of what would be allowed in such exercises. Most likely testimony obtained from other suspects already amounts to a well-planned coup attempt, hence so many were arrested and not let go and so many more are being targeted.

I believe that this article is not objective. General arrested in Turkey recently and after that you made his daughter to write article about that. How can you expect this writer to write objectively. This situation is clearly not ethical. I think, as a result of this you lost your trustworthiness

In the west, we say 'watch what they do not what they say'. This is especially true in Turkey, where Islamist AKP and its increasingly fascist leader in bed with Fethullah cult running the secular country towards some form of islamic fascism.

When an independent journalist such as British Gareth J. Jenkins read thousands of pages of the so called 'Ergenekon case', his conclusion was self explanatory in the title of his deeply detailed article: 'Between Fact and Fantasy: Turkey's Ergenekon Case'. www.silkroadstudies.org/new/docs/.../0908Ergenekon.pdf

Turkey, unfortunately, became a country where even most influential businessmen, lawyers, academicians that oppose Erdogan and Fethullah are afraid to talk as they have been wiretapped over the last few years by the government itself.

The most striking similarity is probably Mc Carthy era in the US, where communism was a taboo. Can you imagine you stay in jail for 3 years without even knowing what the government (prosecution) is charging you for.

Turkey became a country, where the most influential media owner (Aydin Dogan) had to leave his post along with his two top newspaper editors (Ertugrul ozkok of Hurriyet and Sedat Ergin of Milliyet) as Erdogan himself has repeatedly threatened any media owner that keeps any journalist that oppose his islamist AKP party. Ditto for cult leader Fethullah periodicals, starting with Zaman, whose editor has been warning (recommending in his words but people understand what he means really!) Aydin Dogan and his editors as they (only slightly by western press standards by the way) voice counter arguments against Erdogan and of course, quasi prophet, cult leader Fethullah Gulen, who happens to be a major CIA operative.

He runs around 500-800 schools across the globe, and around 85 charter schools in the US, basically funded by us, US taxpayers. His schools preach tolerance and emphaty but if you follow Mr. Gulen's own words that were taped over a decade ago you understand his final aim is to change secular foundation of Ataturk republic to some form of religious sharia country. See following records for yourselves: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=fethullah+g%C3%BClen+ger%C3%A7e%C4%9Fi&aq=0

If the US and the EU keep supporting Erdogan, whose infamous Antisemitic remarks towards 80+ year old Nobel Peace laureate Shimon Peres at Davos (You Jews know very well when it comes to commit mass murders), and if the west support Fethullah the cult leader who now preaches tolerance now but he was an openly Anti western, Antisemitic islamic clerk that could be seen in his speeches (see youtube link).

Individuals like Army General Cetin Dogan has been in jail (now set free sick at hospital) to increase fascistic regime while transforming secular Turkish Army so that AKP and Fethullah cult could continue altering Ataturk's secular republis towards Islamic country as a model for the rest of the muslim countries as the west hope. This would be another major mistake for the west, as religious bigots like Erdogan and Fethullah Gulen only pretend what the west want to hear when they read from prewritten texts, but their true beliefs can be seen easily when they lose control and unveil their true intentions towards west as Erdogan did at Davos Forum.

The world is always astonishing. Isn't it? The title of the writing is "How Turkey Manufactured a Coup Plot".. However... Being a Turk, I can easily remark that THIS WRITING ?s manufactured and is only serving to re-credit Do?an and discredit the coup plot attempt.

Come on guys! Turkey has undergone several coups up today. These have been NOT fiction but fact. Our prime minister, once, executed in this country by the coup perpatretors in 1960. This is ALSO a fact, not a fiction.

This writing is a manipulating tool, not anything else. Writer is defending HER OWN FATHER whatsoever the FACT really is. We are so accustomed to that kind of stuff. People who seek foreign suport, twist the fact and manipulate it for their own interest lik THIS.

Did you realize? The writer do not elaborate the accusations and the realities about the accusations. Her all attempts in this writing is continuously reiterating (but not elaborating) her father's innocence and the manufacturance of the document.

I am disgusted seeing this kind of stuff. The JUST is not that. You people, who do not live in Turkey have been misinformed and manipulated for the sake of somebody's own interest AS in this writing for so long.

According to Clausewitz “war is not an isolated event, nor is it just one battle. On the contrary, all actions take time and in war actual armed combat accounts for no more than ten percent of the time, the remaining ninety percent consisting of inactivity."

The war between the revolutionary forces and Mullahs has been still underway in Turkey and as the Army historically take sides with Kemalist Establishment Mullahs employ all legal and illegal tools to eradicate, at least weaken the Army.

Our ultimate aim is to make Turkey a genuine Western Country as indicated by Ataturk. When revolution reaches its target Turkey will become a fully liberal democrat country. For that reason, we voluntarily passed to multi-party system, even if it was a little bit early, and we voluntarily hand over the rules to the counter-revolutionists.

Please do not compare and weight us with Mullahs. All researches imply that Mullah’s real support in Turkey is about 10 percent. However, they are really rather clever to cheat the innocent Muslims and gather their votes by successfully employing takiyyah tool. As Kemalist Establishment never tells lies to our nation, we cannot cope with these liars. Therefore, sometimes we have used coercive powers to overcome Mullahs. The 90 percent majority should see this picture and take sides with Kemalist Establishment. Because the sine qua non element of a genuine democracy in a Muslim country is to confine the religion into the mosques and private houses and never let it come to social and political life.

Clausewitz also posits that a war never terminates unless one side kneels down. I assure you that we will eventually have Mullahs kneel down, including the one living in Utah. However, if the West understands and supports us the war in Turkey may terminate shortly. Otherwise, the war may last even 1000 Years, as predicted by a former Army Chief,General Kivrikoglu!

Actually, the West's supports to the ruling JDP are a kind of shooting at their feet. However, we, Kemalist Establishment, never care West's supports. These supports may solely cause the extension of the Turks' agonies, but never has a considerable impact on the final outcome. Because we are keen and strong enough to protect and preserve our revolution that will set a unique proved example to all Muslims moaning without letup under primitive and wild rules of Islam fascism. We are more vigilant than Shah Reza Pahlavi who confessed his deep regrets, as he did not eradicate the Mullahs. By some means or other, we will definitely eradicate Turkish Mullahs., and we will save not only 90 percent of Turkish People, but all western countries' people. Because, Turkey is powerful country, if Turkey becomes another Iran, the west' troubles may double, even turn to a nightmare.

May I kindly point out two things:

1. The article starts with "The case of Çetin Do?an, a prominent Turkish Army general accused of conspiring against the government...". Cetin Dogan is not only a Turkish Army General but also authors' family.

2. The article goes on saying "... they aim to discredit the military...". I can not understand why discrediting a military which has performed 4 military coups in the last 50 years is such a wrong thing to do. No single military coup leader has been jailed in Turkey. It is time to discredit the military and set up a new one that should understand that it is the taxpayers who pay their salaries and they should do their job properly like their peers do in the western world. A civilian government and civilian courts are after the military to cut its illegal activities. Why is this so against the belief system of a universally famous economist like Dani Rodrik?

My observation is that he is biased enough in this topic not to be allowed to write on a magazine of this caliber. He is the son-in-law of the general who publicly talked against civilian government policies (not military policies) when under military uniform. If Cetin Dogan, the general, would like to talk against the government policies, he should have resigned and joined a political party. Why does Rodrik not keep the same standards of democracy for Turkey? Can he defend the same things for a American General who has plotted a military coup, if that ever happens, against the White House?

Kivanc

For sure Fethullah Gulen. He wants to be Turkey's Khomeini:) with his very limited intellectual capability and primary school diploma. To see the list of reference letters' signatories (including some high level CIA Officials) please see the link: http://www.milliyet.com.tr/default.aspx?aType=HaberDetay&Kategori=guncel&ArticleID=883012&Date=27.06.2008&ver=67
In the above link, you can also see the State attorneys' allegation about him. Upon rejection of his visa, Gulen went to the Court. In the case State Attorney alleged that::
1. As claimed, he [Fethullah Gulen] is not an extraordinarily skilled scholar; he is not even an educator.
2. As he presented, with evidence, he is the leader of a movement that has enormous financial sources and is effective in politics and religious issues.
3. His movement’s economic power reached $25 billion and there is no transparency in their work.
As you can see the Gulen Movement controls huge amount of money. It is evident that those money have used in Turkey for all plots and conspiracies to serve his utopic aim. In the below link you can listen his orders to his believers.
He asks his believers to infiltrate into the MILITARY, SECURITY FORCES and HIGH LEVEL GOVERNMENT POSTS and disguise themselves until the GOLDEN SHOT HITS. During the preparation period, he tasked his militants to hire JUDGES in Turkey, by promising that he is ready to pay the money from the huge profits he has made from the over 500 schools throughout the World. http://www.facebook.com/posted.php?id=171344419879&share_id=272938668699&comments=1#!/video/video.php?v=105297316154611&ref=share

Now I want to ask a basic question to all Readers:
1.Fethullah Gulen crazily wants to be Turkey's Khomeini.
2.He has a huge money.
3.He tasks his militants to hire Judges.
4.The judges are paid very small salary in Turkey. WHAT IS THE PROBABLE OUTCOME?

To see the outrages in the Ergenekon Case against the army I strongly recommend you to read an impartial western scholar's scientific analysis in the below link. According to British Scholar Gareth H. Jenkins, the case is a fantasy and has dreadful legal mistakes. After reading you will amaze how a judicial system in Turkey can be used a fatal weapon to shoot at the army.

As the link prevent publishing my comment I am giving the information about the scientific analysis: silk road studies., silk road papers, 0908Ergenekon.pdf

Very respectfully.

As an Harvard Scholar, her husband can never become subjective, otherwise he wouldn't be a Professor in the Harvard. If you had had a very little knowledge about USA scientific rules you wouldn't have accused of Professor Rodrik of being subjective. OK, he is subjective,is Gareth H. Jenkins subjective too, is conservative Sami Selcuk subjective too? Your objectivity means to keep innocent people behind of the bars just with the testimony of an invisible witness?

You claim that as the army staged coups four times, it should be in a coup preparation. Following your logic, I am claiming that as Tayyip Erdogan was a criminal (he was imprisoned almost a year before being PM), he should be continuing committing crime now?

Look at the CNN Opinion poll, conducted just after 28 April 2008 internet memo. Over 83 percent participants supported the TGS Memo. What does that mean?

Burcin, reading through your comments, I would like to correct a number of things so non-Turkish readers have the chance to build an objective opinion on real facts not "Alice in wonderland" facts.

As you suggest, Turkish judges are not paid very small salaries. Today, $1= 1.5TL (Turkish Lira.) Minimum wage in Turkey is approximately 500TL ($350) a month. A starting salary for a judge in Turkey is approximately 2500TL ($1700) after income tax. In most cases, they are also given rent support (as they call it in Turkey, "lojman".) They have fantastic pension system as well (%20 support from the state.) Their salaries go up to 6000TL ($4000) a month as they become senior judges.

We are not talking about Ukraine or Russia here, where judges are paid peanuts ($100 or so.) As you see, they are being paid 4 to 5 times of minimum wage as their starting salary and in addition they get rent support. Comparing that salary in purchasing power terms to western economies, this is serious money. You can not expect a civil servant or a law person to be paid like they are paid in private sector. This is a choice you make and you do it with pride!

I had to correct your "opinion" about salaries in Turkey with facts on the ground.

Gulen tasked his followers to hire judges as seen in the below link. While giving this order do you think that he didn't know that the judges in Turkey are paid a huge salary, for that reason it is impossible to hire a judge in Turkey:) More importantly, do you obey his order or just disregard? Is it common in religious orders to disregard the highest Imam's orders? In addition to the financial incentive, can you swear here (by putting your hands on a Koran) that there is no Judges and prosecutors in Turkey who are educated in Gulen's School, I mean Gulen's followers. I am sure there are many, who and where are they? Everybody knows that former Justice Minister M. Ali. Sahin is a Gulen's follower. During his ministry I am sure he assigned Kemalist Prosecutors and Judges to the Critical Courts:) who have detained Kemalists with some ridiculous evidences?
The last question: Is bellydance your common way, is it really too difficult for you to be honest and trustworthy?

http://www.facebook.com/posted.php?id=171344419879&share_id=272938668699&comments=1#!/video/video.php?v=105297316154611&ref=share

The striking point of his order: You can spend 1000, even if the profit just 1....
This is the summary what has gone on in Turkey.

I listened to the voice recordings of Cetin Dogan, the father of Rodrik's wife, last night over and over again as they are broadcasted at a TV program named "Ters Cephe" back in Jan and Feb 2010.

Cetin Dogan is not playing a war scenario only, he is planning to change the government. A couple of quotes from the horse's mouth:
- "i will ask the chief of staff to give an ultimatom to the parliament and to the government. we need to establish a consensus government that can take us through the crisis as part of the war scenario". afterwars, we can have elections.

one would ask, but apparently not Rodrik, who the heck are you to decide which government is best to take us through the crisis? did you ask prime minister's or parliament's or president's opinion about your so called war scenario? does he know that as a civil servant, you are playing with a war scenario to replace current government?

other quotes:
- "we will hunt down the local mayors and prosecutors who do not cooperate with us"
- "it is our duty to be merciless against the public who do not cooperate".

These are coming from a civil servant, whose salary and pension are paid by the taxpayers' money. he should be tried of treason.

Most probably, he was going to get in his jeep, travel to Ankara through Highway and Bolu Tunnel and get to Ankara, raid into the Prime Ministry building, and take over the rule:=) You might be s.....d if you heartily believe in this ridiculous plot. I assure all readers that non of the pro-Gulen commentators believes in this accusation. Their aim is to cheat the Western Readers, and JDP Electorates, 78 percent of whom have primary school diploma or below..

There are still no answer to my question, actually it was not a hard question. As a loyal defender of Gulen, have you, or some Gulen's followers obeyed his order, in which he tasked his followers to hire judges in Turkey?

It is not me who is claiming Cetin Dogan said those things. Cetin Dogan, himself, confirmed on live TV that those are his words and the person on the tape recordings was himself. I am not believing in something, I am telling you that you can watch this on youtube (in Turkish though.)

It may be your view about democracy that more educated people know better than others. I do not subscribe to that view. I believe in equal participation of educated and uneducated people to democracy. We all share this world together and we should have equal voices for our government.

Just for the record, I do not know neither Gulen nor his followers, never talked to anyone from his organisation (if there is one), do not belong to his movement, never donated any money to that movement and am not defending him at all. Once in my life, I met an African dude at a kebab shop in London 2AM in the morning and chatted with him. He told me he went to a Gulen high school and he spoke flawless Turkish. That was my closest encounter ever with something, someone related to Gulen.

Clarifying my position here... Military coup planners should be tried in civilian courts and Turkish military should learn how to obey elected governments. Nothing more, nothing less. This will be achieved regardless of right wingers' severe opposition in Turkey. Democracy will win. I have faith in that. It is not going to work for Neocons in the US but they are learning how to live with that anyways.

Please see the picture of Erdal Eren, who was only 16, and as such legally underage to be executed, and yet who was hanged by the coup in Turkey in 1980, staged by the likes of General Dogan, defended shamelessly here in an FP article by the daughter and the son-in-law, after his age was legally modified:

http://didf.at/didf_tr/images/stories/rtemagicc_erdal_eren.jpg.jpg

And see the item on Erdal Eren in the Turkish wikipedia:

http://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erdal_Eren

He was an innocent conscript in Menemen, whose head was cut by the ancestors of some of the commentators in 1930.

Remeber innocent Dutch Girl Carina Cuanna (22yo), who was visiting one of her friends in Sivas, and remember Asuman Sivri (16yo), Koray Kaya (11yo) and over thirty innocent people, whose bodies were burnt alive by the anchestors of some of the commentators, in the Madimak Hotel in Sivas, in 1993. Ruling JDP’s precursor, Walfare Party Deputy ?evket Kazan, an attorney voluntary signup to defend the perpetrators and it’s ironic since he later promoted and became Minister of Justice:=)

http://www.turktime.com/haber/SIVAS-TA-CAN-LARI-KIM-YAKTI-OLAY-SIRASINDA-CEKILEN-GORUNTULER-TEKRAR-INCELENIYOR/62356

Remember innocent over 100 Alevis victims, whose bodies were slaughtered in Kahraman Maras, 1978, by the ancestors of some of the commentators.

http://simurg555.wordpress.com/2009/12/19/kahramanmaras-katliami/

OK, Cetin Dogan confessed that the tape belongs to himself. What about fugitive Mullah, Fetos Gulen, did he deny his above tape, in which he tasked you to hire judges in Turkey?While obeying all of his orders, have you obeyed this order too?

See the below picture, in which the bigots and utopian liberals' Prime Minister Erdogan kneels down next to a top-ten world terrorist, Taliban Hikmetyar.

http://www.webloader.org/tayyip-erdogan-taliban-lideri-hikmetyar-ile/q-bk1OOGVJRmdkOWs=

Dear Western Readers, I know you have been confused what has gone on Turkey. Please do never believe in bigots. They are all the same. The only difference is some of them are honest, some are liars. Because, there is only one rule in Islam, Sheri'a. No one can dare to soften these rules. Can you believe that a guy who kneels down like a cat just next to a terrorist could become democrat and moderate. Is there even 1 percent possibility that this guy may bring democracy to Turkey?

Dear Western Readers, If this bigots achieve an Islam revolution in Turkey I swear that you will not be able to sleep in your beds in peace and confidence. Because Islam tasks all belivers to make all world Muslim, first by a persuasive way, if it does not work to employ force is a task of all bigots.

Very respectfully.

The overwhelming number of comments that defend AKP (ruling party), Gulen (religious leader) or Taraf (newspaper) illustrate clearly what happens in Turkey to anyone who dares to speak against any one of these power groups.

Even an article that tries to be as objective as possible when pointing out various inaccuracies and injustice in a case gets shot down immediately. Not with valid arguments, but with libel and slander. The aim is to cause confusion and doubt with half-truths and lies mixed with some obviously true but usually unrelated statements.

If you remove all the fluff, this is what most the comments boil down to:

* Attack the authors, for being the relatives of Cetin Dogan or to FP for publishing them. The fact that, the authors themselves state this at the beginning of the article, and provide their reasons mean very little to these commentators. It appears that some did not even read the article at all.

* Point out that the army is guilty of earlier coups and must be punished at all costs. The sad thing is, this is not an investigation for an earlier coup. This is not even about a failed coup. This is about an alleged plan for a coup. One that did not take place at all. Even the army officers should have the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

There is not a single argument against the inaccuracies in the documents or obvious misconduct of the case as described in the article. There is only attacks, threats and lies targeted to confuse and intimidate people into silence or compliance.

These days there is a strange definition of democracy in Turkey. The democratically elected ruling party has the right to do anything and everything in the name of democracy with no boundaries and can not be contested. I think there is a different word for it in other parts of the world ...