Turkish parliament to mark anniversary of defeated coup

By Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) – Turkey’s parliament on Wednesday will mark the fourth anniversary of the 2016 defeated coup by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

The commemorative ceremony will launch with Parliament Speaker Mustafa Sentop's visit to the July 15 Democracy Martyrdom Monument at 10.00 a.m. (0700GMT) in Ankara.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will also attend a commemorative ceremony in parliament at 12.00 noon (0900GMT).

Honoring the thousands of members of the public who took to the streets four years ago against the coup bid, athletes coming from all 81 of Turkey’s provinces will keep a “Democracy Watch" in front of the July 15 Monument at 10.45 p.m. (1945GMT) in parliament.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Fighter jets under control of coup plotters bombed parliament in the early hours of July 16.

Turkey marks June 15 as Democracy and National Unity Day with events nationwide to commemorate those who lost their lives beating back the putschists and to remember the bravery of the nation.

A number of structures and public spaces were renamed in the immediate aftermath of the coup bid, most notably Istanbul’s Bogazici (Bosphorus) Bridge becoming the July 15 Martyrs’ Bridge.

Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.