No to Coups!
11 September 2023
Exactly 43 years ago, on 12 September 1980, a military coup d’état was staged in our country. In fact, the military coup of 12 September was not a milestone. The truth is that the Republic of Turkey has been a militarist one since its foundation and has been governed as such. From time to time, there have been periods of military coups that were extremely devastating, destructive, and completely abolished human rights. Perhaps the most painful of these was the military coup of 12 September.
As a result of the 12 September military coup, 650 thousand people were taken into custody and subjected to severe torture during custody periods of up to 90 days. 1 million 683 thousand people were labeled as communist, Alevi, Kurdish, religious, pro-Sharia, 230 thousand people were tried in the Martial Law Courts in 210 thousand cases, the death penalty was demanded for 7 thousand people, 517 people were sentenced to death, 124 people’s death sentences were approved by the Military Court of Cassation. 50 of those sentenced to death were executed. (18 of these people were left-wing, 8 were right-wing, 23 were ordinary prisoners, 1 was an ASALA militant). The files of 259 people whose executions were requested were sent to the parliament. 500 people were tried under Articles 141, 142, and 163 of the Turkish Penal Code, 404 people were tried on charges of “membership in an illegal organization,” 388 thousand people were denied passports, 30 thousand people were dismissed from their jobs for being “objectionable,” 525 public officials were investigated, 14 thousand people were stripped of their citizenship. 30 thousand people had to go abroad as refugees, 366 people died under “suspicious circumstances,” 171 people were documented to have “died of torture,” 299 people died in prisons, 14 people died on hunger strike, 16 people were shot while “escaping,” 95 people died in “clashes,” 73 people were given reports alleging they “died of natural causes,” 43 people were reported to have “died by suicide.”
937 films were banned due to objectionable content; 23,677 associations shut down.
Political parties and trade unions were closed down, many politicians were arrested and detained without justification.
3,854 teachers, 120 university lecturers and 47 judges were dismissed. 400 journalists were sentenced to a total of 4 thousand years in prison. Journalists were sentenced to 3,315 years and 6 months in prison; 31 journalists were imprisoned, 300 journalists were attacked, 3 journalists were killed in gun attacks, newspapers could not publish for 300 days, 303 lawsuits were filed against 13 major newspapers, 39 tons of newspapers and magazines were destroyed. Hundreds of thousands of publications were confiscated.
The Human Rights Association was the first non-governmental organization to be established during a military coup process in which such grievous human rights violations and crimes against humanity were committed. The Human Rights Association was founded on 17 July 1986, and when it was founded, the association considered the “fight against militarism,” the hierarchy created by it, and the problem of subordination as the most important element.
As human rights defenders, we know that militarism does not only mean rule by soldiers or a military coup. Militarism also means the imposition of hierarchy and the culture of subservience on society, and in our lands, the militarist style of governance has continued to exist since its foundation. The Republic of Turkey is still governed by the constitution drafted by the generals of the 1980 military coup. Although some amendments have been made, the constitution drafted by the military is still in force. Therefore, we think that no political party has the right to talk about tutelage.
The government and many of those who define themselves as the opposition in our country also possess militarist value judgments. When human rights defender and politician Sezgin Tanrıkulu described an incident, which was an example of the crimes committed by the state, the conduct of his own party CHP towards this crime against humanity is a clear indication of how militarism still dominates political parties. As human rights defenders, we always advocate democratization and civilianization. We believe that it is a right for all ethnic, belief groups, and sexual identities living in our land to live freely.
We will fight against military value judgments, hierarchical relations, and the culture of subordination until the end. 12 September is not a milestone. Militarism constitutes the essence of the political tradition of this land. Therefore, as human rights defenders, we would like to share our stance against militarism once again with the whole public on the anniversary of the 12 September military coup.
No to all military coups!
We also say no to all forms of hierarchical relationships as well as those that lead to hierarchies and that create a culture of subordination.
Human Rights Association