Families of some of the thousands of soldiers detained in the wake of Turkey's failed coup anxiously waited for news on Wednesday of their relatives and tried to catch a glimpse of them outside Istanbul's court house.
Turkey has detained senior military figures, including 118 generals and admirals, following the coup attempt, but many of those held are also likely to have been young conscripts doing compulsory military service.
Their family members strained for a quick look at their sons as the men were brought by bus, their hands tied behind their backs, to court. They were then led in for hearings which would decide if they were to be remanded in custody or set free.
Ahmet, who declined to give his surname, said his son, a conscript, had been caught up in a plot despite having no knowledge of it. Like Turkey's government, he blamed the coup on the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.
"Because of these games in our country, of these Gulenist terrorists, of this plague of a coup, the majors are giving orders to our children, they send them out.
"Our young people -- when they realised they've been tricked -- surrendered to the police. After the police they are brought down here."
- 'He must obey orders' -
Fearing his son could face life in prison, he addressed President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP)
"We didn't deserve that, my dear president! I am for the AKP, I'm one of the founders, I'm the head of my district. It didn't have to end up like this."
"I can't stand it. I can't stand it. I can't stand it, especially the handcuffs."
Cuneyt, from the Aegean city of Izmir and another father of a conscript, said his son had only just begun his military service.
"I've sent my son to do his military service not even three days ago, and... my son is accused of a coup!"
"When you give an order to a policeman, they can discuss it, but a soldier doesn't have this right, they don't have the right to ask questions.
"If a soldier is told to salute a tree, he will. If he's asked to salute a stone, he will, he must obey the major's orders, from his commander."
According to the official Anadolu news agency, over 6,300 soldiers have been detained over the coup.
While 118 generals and admirals are being held, the vast majority of those detained are likely lower ranking troops who provided the ground force in the coup attempt.
The government has vowed that all those linked to the coup in any way will face legal proceedings.
"Whoever has been involved in the coup, even in the slightest way, will be prosecuted," Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus told reporters in Ankara on Tuesday.
Families of some of the thousands of soldiers detained in the wake of Turkey’s failed coup anxiously waited for news on Wednesday of their relatives and tried to catch a glimpse of them outside Istanbul’s court house.
Turkey has detained senior military figures, including 118 generals and admirals, following the coup attempt, but many of those held are also likely to have been young conscripts doing compulsory military service.
Their family members strained for a quick look at their sons as the men were brought by bus, their hands tied behind their backs, to court. They were then led in for hearings which would decide if they were to be remanded in custody or set free.
Ahmet, who declined to give his surname, said his son, a conscript, had been caught up in a plot despite having no knowledge of it. Like Turkey’s government, he blamed the coup on the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.
“Because of these games in our country, of these Gulenist terrorists, of this plague of a coup, the majors are giving orders to our children, they send them out.
“Our young people — when they realised they’ve been tricked — surrendered to the police. After the police they are brought down here.”
– ‘He must obey orders’ –
Fearing his son could face life in prison, he addressed President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP)
“We didn’t deserve that, my dear president! I am for the AKP, I’m one of the founders, I’m the head of my district. It didn’t have to end up like this.”
“I can’t stand it. I can’t stand it. I can’t stand it, especially the handcuffs.”
Cuneyt, from the Aegean city of Izmir and another father of a conscript, said his son had only just begun his military service.
“I’ve sent my son to do his military service not even three days ago, and… my son is accused of a coup!”
“When you give an order to a policeman, they can discuss it, but a soldier doesn’t have this right, they don’t have the right to ask questions.
“If a soldier is told to salute a tree, he will. If he’s asked to salute a stone, he will, he must obey the major’s orders, from his commander.”
According to the official Anadolu news agency, over 6,300 soldiers have been detained over the coup.
While 118 generals and admirals are being held, the vast majority of those detained are likely lower ranking troops who provided the ground force in the coup attempt.
The government has vowed that all those linked to the coup in any way will face legal proceedings.
“Whoever has been involved in the coup, even in the slightest way, will be prosecuted,” Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus told reporters in Ankara on Tuesday.
