Yassıada trials
As Yassıada processes ( Turkish Yassıada dâvaları ) are 19 criminal cases referred to, in which, after the military coup in Turkey from May 27, 1960 a total of 592 former government officials, members of the Turkish parliament and officials, including President Celal Bayar and Prime Minister Adnan Menderes , on the island of Yassıada were brought before an exceptional court .
The trials began on October 14, 1960; the verdicts were pronounced on September 15, 1961. A total of 872 court sessions took place on 202 trial days. The public prosecutor's office called for the death penalty 228 times .
High Court
The High Court of Justice (tr .: Yüksek Adalet Divanı ) was an exceptional court that consisted of nine judges: six civil and three military judges . It was chaired by the President of the First Criminal Senate in the Court of Cassation Salim Başol . There were also six reserve judges. All members of the court were appointed by the National Unity Committee.
The prosecutor's lawyers were also selected by the National Unity Committee. The chief prosecutor in the trials was the later presiding judge of the 1st criminal senate in the court of cassation, Ömer Altay Egesel .
Processes
Canine trial
This process began on October 14, 1960 against the former President Celâl Bayar and against the former Minister of Agriculture Nedim Ökmen . They were accused of selling a dog - a state gift from the Afghan king - to Ataturk Orman Çiftliği Hayvanat Bahçesi (Turkey's largest zoological garden, located in Ataturk Orman Çiftliği , a forest estate founded in 1925 by Ataturk in northwest Ankara as a model farm) to have. The public prosecutor applied for five years' imprisonment against the defendants. Seven witnesses were heard during the trial, and the defendants testified that the proceeds from the sale were used to build a well in a village near İzmir. On October 24, 1960, the court announced that the trial would be merged with the violation of the Constitution. On September 15, 1961, Celâl Bayar was sentenced to four years and two months in prison.
Istanbul pogrom
The proceedings against Celâl Bayar, Fahrettin Kerim Gökay , Mehmet Fuat Köprülü , Adnan Menderes, Fatin Rüştü Zorlu and six other defendants began on October 20, 1960 and ended on January 5, 1961.
The court found that the bomb that exploded in Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's birthplace on September 6, 1955 , was placed by order of the government of Oktay Engin and that the events of September 6/7. September were organized by the Democratic Party . In response to this event, the Istanbul pogrom took place.
Menderes was sentenced to six years, Ahmet Kemal Hadımlı to four years and six months, and Zorlu to four years imprisonment. The remaining defendants were acquitted.
Baby process
In these proceedings, Adnan Menderes was accused of having his child, who is said to have come from an extramarital relationship, killed by the doctor and later mayor of Istanbul, Fahri Atabey . Prosecutors presented underwear and nude photos allegedly seized from Menderes' safe to the court as evidence of the relationship.
The child's mother, opera singer Ayhan Aydan , and Adnan Menderes openly admitted their relationship, but asserted that the child died during the birth . Infanticide could not be proven. The trial, which lasted from October 31 to November 22, 1960, resulted in an acquittal for Menderes and Atabey.
Vinileks process
The defendants in the trial, which began on November 4, 1960, were Hasan Polatkan , Hüseyin Altay , Necati Dolay, and Ragıp Sipahi . The former finance minister Polatkan was accused of abuse of office and corruption . According to the public prosecutor's office, he illegally provided the Vinileks company with cash loans and took 110,000 lira bribes for this service .
Fourteen witnesses were heard in this trial, some of whom said the loans were granted in accordance with the law.
The trial ended on November 26, 1960; the judgment was pronounced on September 15, 1961. Polatkan was sentenced to seven years 'imprisonment and a fine of 550,000 lira, and the remaining defendants were sentenced to three years and six months' imprisonment.
embezzlement
Hayrettin Erkmen was sentenced to six months' imprisonment for embezzling state funds amounting to 12,000 lira. The second defendant in the trial, Zeyyat Mandalinci , was acquitted.
This trial took place between November 8th and December 3rd, 1960.
Real estate process
The trial against Nedim Ökmen began on November 11, 1960. He was accused of having sold property belonging to his wife to Türkiye İş Bankası for a maximum price by taking advantage of his position . On November 26, 1960, Ökmen was sentenced to five years' imprisonment.
Ship process
The proceedings for unlawful changes to the regulations on ship imports and foreign currency smuggling began on October 15, 1960 and ended on January 19, 1961. The defendants were Ahmet Sebati Ataman , Medeni Berk , Hayrettin Erkmen, Ali İpar , Adnan Menderes, Hasan Polatkan and Fatin Rüştü Zorlu .
Mill process
The trial of İbrahim Sıtkı Yırcalı began on November 18, 1960. He was accused by the public prosecutor's office of illegally providing the pasta maker and mill owner Şemsi Demirkan with cash by taking advantage of his position . The proceedings were closed on December 3, 1960 due to the statute of limitations.
Barbara Trial
Refik Koraltan and Hasan Polatkan were sentenced to five months, 25 days and six months, respectively, of imprisonment for foreign currency smuggling and violating the law protecting the Turkish currency. Koraltan had a German maid named Barbara flown into Turkey and declared the costs as medical expenses for his wife.
Reptile fund
Adnan Menderes and Ahmet Salih Korur were sentenced to 15 years 'imprisonment and a fine of 4,878,000 liras and two years and eleven months' imprisonment, respectively. The court found that Menderes had diverted three million lira and Korur 250,000 lira from the state treasury. Menderes denied the allegations, blaming Korur, who testified that all transactions were made with the prime minister's full knowledge.
It was also found that Menderes made payments to Ferid Alnar , Ayhan Aydan's former husband , at irregular intervals .
The proceedings ran from November 25, 1960 to February 2, 1961.
Radio process
The defendants in this trial were Altemur Kılıç , Adnan Menderes, Fatin Rüştü Zorlu and three other former ministers. The proceedings ran from November 29 to December 26, 1960. The accused were accused of using the state radio as a propaganda instrument, establishing it as a party organ and thus violating the constitution. The trial was merged with the constitutional violation trial.
Attack on İsmet İnönü
This trial began on December 2, 1960 against Celâl Bayar, Adnan Menderes and 58 other defendants for incitement to riot, with the aim of eliminating the opposition leader İsmet İnönü during a visit to Topkapı on May 4, 1959. On April 17, 1961, the court pronounced the verdicts: 43 acquittals, 17 convictions. The trials against Bayar and Menderes were combined with the trial for violation of the constitution. The remaining 15 convicts received sentences of seven years or more.
Çanakkale affair
The trial of Menderes and three other former ministers for preventing the freedom of movement of opposition MPs has been merged with the constitutional violation trial. Two opposition MPs were prevented from entering the city of Çanakkale on September 19 and 23, 1959, respectively .
The proceedings ran from December 27, 1960 to March 10, 1961.
Kayseri affair
The defendants - Bayar, Menderes and eleven other politicians - were charged with restricting İsmet İnönü's freedom of movement by preventing him from going to the city of Kayseri . İnönü's train was stopped by military units on April 2, 1960 en route to Kayseri. In court, Menderes described this action as a protective measure . The trial ran from January 9-20, 1961 and was merged with the Constitutional Violation Trial. Eight defendants were acquitted.
Democrat İzmir
In this trial, which took place between January 12 and May 5, 1961, Menderes and 23 other defendants were accused of inciting against the government-critical newspaper Demokrat İzmir . The newspaper was the victim of an attack on May 2, 1959, in which its printing plant was completely destroyed. Eight defendants were acquitted. The proceedings against the remaining defendants were merged with the constitutional violation proceedings.
The incidents of April 28 and 29, 1960
On April 28, 1960, a student at Istanbul University , Turan Emeksiz , was shot dead by the police during a demonstration against the establishment of the Committee of Inquiry. The next day, students from Ankara University joined the demonstrations. In response to the incidents, the government declared a state of siege on Istanbul and Ankara.
The trial began on February 2, 1961 against 118 former government, military and police officers for illegally trespassing on university properties, unsubstantiated use of firearms against citizens, and illegally imposing a state of siege. On July 27, 1961, 34 defendants were acquitted. The trial was merged with the constitutional violation trial.
Confiscation
Menderes and nine other defendants were charged with the confiscation of property and buildings. The trial, which began on April 17, 1961, was merged with the Constitutional Violation Trial on June 3, 1961.
National front
The accused - Bayar, Menderes and 20 others - were accused of wanting to destroy democracy and therefore founded the organization Nationale Front (tr .: Vatan Cephesi ). The trial ran from April 27 to June 3, 1961 and was merged with the Constitutional Violation Trial.
Violation of the Constitution
The constitutional violation trial began on October 14, 1960 against 397 defendants. After the indictment was read, the trial was adjourned until May 11, 1961. During this time, the court dealt with the remaining trials.
The accused were accused of violating the independence of the courts, the guarantee of judges and freedom of association, as well as anti-democratic changes in the electoral law, the establishment of the investigative committee to monitor the activities of the opposition and the press, and the confiscation of funds of the Republican People's Party .
Among the defendants were Celâl Bayar, Adnan Menderes, Refik Koraltan, former ministers, 15 members of the committee of inquiry and four MPs who proposed the establishment of this committee.
A total of 216 witnesses were heard. Prosecutors alleged that these acts violated the Constitution and demanded the death penalty and imprisonment from five to 15 years for some of the defendants.
The trial ended on August 14, 1961, and the court pronounced the verdicts of both that trial and those that were merged with it on September 15, 1961.
Judgments
Death penalty
With Art. 3 of Law No. 15 of June 11, 1960, it was retrospectively determined that no reduction in punishment can be granted for treason.
Four defendants - Celâl Bayar , Adnan Menderes (in absentia; tr .: gıyaben ), Hasan Polatkan and Fatin Rüştü Zorlu - were unanimous, eleven others by majority decision for amending, replacing and abrogating the Turkish constitution according to Art. 146 I old version of the Turkish Penal Code sentenced to death. The verdict was as follows:
" Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Anayasası'nı cebren tağyir ve tebdil ve ilgadan dolayı Türk Ceza Kanunu'nun 146 / 1'inci maddesi hükmünce Ölüm cezasına çarptırılmasına (gıyaben) oy birlariği ile. "
However, the sentences could not be carried out without the confirmation of the National Unity Committee . The committee only upheld the death sentences against Menderes, Polatkan and Zorlu, which were carried out on September 16 and 17, 1961 on the island of İmralı . The remaining death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment .
The following people were sentenced to death by the court:
|
1. Baha Akşit |
6. Agah Erozan |
11. Refik Koraltan |
Imprisonment
The High Court sentenced 31 defendants, including four members of the Council of Ministers, eight members of the Committee of Inquiry and the former governor of Istanbul, to life imprisonment.
402 defendants were sentenced to imprisonment from two to 20 years. For example, Ahmet Salih Korur received a prison sentence of two years and eleven months.
Acquittals, dismissed lawsuits, deaths
133 defendants were acquitted by the High Court and five complaints were dismissed. Six defendants died during the trials.
Trivia
The events during the military coup as well as the trials themselves and their consequences were processed in the Turkish television series Hatırla Sevgili (Remember, Dearest), which was broadcast weekly from October 27, 2006 to June 6, 2008 . Historical images and audio recordings were also used in the series. The production thus contains elements of the docu-drama , however, according to critics, the events were presented unobjective, glorifying and too superficial. The historical authenticity even gives way to entertainment expectations in scenes that the viewer perceives as being true to detail.
Members of minorities such as Zakar Tarver of Armenian descent and Yusuf Salman, a Jew , were also arrested during the trial .
literature
- Walter F. Weiker: The Turkish Revolution 1960–1961. Aspects Of Military Politics. The Brookings Institution, Washington DC 1963. ( online ).