High-ranking former general in Turkey denies accusations over role in coup attempt

On Monday (May 22), Ankara’s 17th High Criminal Court started off the case against 221 suspects accused of plotting the coup attempt in the country back in last year on July 15th.

Among the suspects are the alleged mastermind Fethullah Gülen – tried in absentia – and several high-ranking generals.

In his defense given before the court yesterday for the first time since his arrest over 10 months ago, one of the key names of the coup, former general Akın Öztürk, denied accusations against him and said: “I served for our country, flag, and the republic for 46 years. I would never shoot at my country or nation. Being tried with the accusation of ‘treason’ is the greatest punishment (for me). I had information about it (coup). I was faced with the risk of being martyred many times. I wish I had been martyred so that I would not have had to be the object of such accusation.”

Saying he had come to Ankara to visit his grandchildren, Öztürk also stated: “In the press, there was news saying ‘Akın Öztürk confessed’ before I had even given a statement. This is the beginning of a persuasion operation against me. Even though anonymous witnesses’ statements which indicate that I took part in the meetings with putschists in Çukurambar, Ankara, were lies, they (the press) published them as if they were true.”

Source: https://www.birgun.net/haber-detay/iste-akin-ozturk-un-ilk-savunmasi-160758.html