Turkey coup leaders under threat of prosecution
Turkish prosecutors have opened an investigation into former general and president Kenan Evren, former navy commander Nejat Tumer and former air force chief Tahsin Sahinkaya over a 1980 coup, Milliyet newspaper has reported.
Rights groups and individuals had filed petitions with prosecutors on Monday, a day after Turks voted to approve reforms that among other things stripped Gen Evren and other coup leaders of immunity.
Sunday's referendum on a constitutional reform package coincided with the 30th anniversary of the coup led by Evren, now 93.
Some legal experts have argued that a statute of limitations would prevent the coup leaders being put on trial and the prosecutor's decision is expected to clarify the issue.
In the wake of the 1980 coup around 50 people were executed, hundreds of thousands were arrested, many were tortured, hundreds died in custody and many disappeared....
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Rights groups and individuals had filed petitions with prosecutors on Monday, a day after Turks voted to approve reforms that among other things stripped Gen Evren and other coup leaders of immunity.
Sunday's referendum on a constitutional reform package coincided with the 30th anniversary of the coup led by Evren, now 93.
Some legal experts have argued that a statute of limitations would prevent the coup leaders being put on trial and the prosecutor's decision is expected to clarify the issue.
In the wake of the 1980 coup around 50 people were executed, hundreds of thousands were arrested, many were tortured, hundreds died in custody and many disappeared....