Former Turkish Army Chief, 275 Others Imprisoned for Overthrow Plot
Ex-Turkish Army Chief İlker Başbuğ was sentenced to life in prison “for allegedly conspiring to overthrow the government” as part of a “deep-state” group called “Ergenekon.” Judges at the court in Istanbul passed out verdicts for a total of 275 people involved in the case today, sentencing three opposition MPs from the Republican People’s Party (CHP) to 12 to 35 years in prison, and more than nine other retired senior military officers to life in prison. [[[[Additionally, several journalists, writers, academics, and former Higher Education Board of Turkey head Kemal Gürüz were given sentences to 14 to 29 years in prison]]]]]. 21 of the 275 Ergenekon suspects were acquitted.
Critics of the trial, mostly from the CHP, have said the charges are  ”aimed at stifling opposition and taming the secularist establishment which has long dominated Turkey” and the judiciary “subject to political influence in hearing the case.” Investigative journalist Nedim Sener, who is accused of having links to Ergenekon, commented, “we were all happy when this court case started because we thought it was an effort to clean up the Deep State. But we soon realised it was an effort to clean up political opponents.” State authorities banned protests ahead of the verdict with security forces setting up barricades “around the courthouse in the Silivri jail complex, west of Istanbul…after the defendants’ supporters  vowed to hold a demonstration against the trial.”