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GREEN CRESCENT’S STATEMENT ON THE
COUP ATTEMPT
GreenCrescent sent to its international partnersastatement on thecoupattemptwhichwas repelled
bysecurity forcesandcitizenson thenight of July 15, 2016. Reiterating that thosewhochallengedour
nationalwill failed thanks toour brave fellowcitizens, ProfessorMücahitÖztürkmadeastatement:
“It iswithgreat sadness that at around 10p.m. on 15 July, 2016, agroup fromwithin theTurkishArmed
Forces (TSK) attemptedamilitarycoup inTurkey.Thisgroup, as itwasconfirmeda fewhours later,was
composedof soldierssupporting theGülenist TerrorGroup (FETÖ).Thecoupplotterscloseddown the
BosporusBridge, flewmilitary jetsandhelicoptersabove thecity, bombedgovernment buildings–the
TurkishParliament inparticular–attempted tokill theTurkishpresident, RecepTayyipErdoğan, as
well aselecteddeputies, andclashedwith theTurkishpoliceas thepolicewere trying tostop thecoup
plotters.Theyseizedcontrol of Turkishstatebroadcaster, TRT, anddeclaredcurfewon television. Yet,
theTurkishpresidentwassoononTVthrough theonlinecommunicationapp, Facetime, andcalledonall
citizens to take to thestreets touphold thedemocracy.
After thepresident’scall, all citizensof different political backgroundswereon thestreets toclaimtheir
right todemocracyandelectedparliament.They lay in front of the tanks tostop them.Theycontinued
to resist thecoupattempt throughout theentirenight though thecoupplottersfired their gunsagainst
unarmedcivilians. Itwas thesebravepeoplewhodefeated thecoupattempt that night.
We lostmore than260citizens,most ofwhomwerecivilians, and thousandswere injured. AsTurkish
GreenCrescent,westronglycondemnanyattackon theelectedparliament and thepresident, aswell
as theTurkishdemocracy. Since theveryfirstmomentsof thecoupattempt,wehavestoodsideby
sidewithour fellowcitizens.Webelieveour nation’swill prevailsover anyattackagainst our libertyand
democracy.Thememoriesof ourmartyrswill alwaysbe rememberedandcherished.
I thankall our friendsandpartnerswhoexpressed their support toour country.”
TurkishGreenCrescent sent to its international partnersastatement on
thecoupattempt.