TURKEY Coup trial: Court sentences 104 army ‘plotters’ to life

A Turkish court handed life sentences to 104 suspects over their involvement in the July 2016 attempted coup, according to state media. The former military personnel were given “aggravated life sentences” by a court in the western province of Izmir, state-run Anadolu news agency said, for “attempting to overthrow the constitutional order”. Such prison sentences, […]

A Turkish court handed life sentences to 104 suspects over their involvement in the July 2016 attempted coup, according to state media.

The former military personnel were given “aggravated life sentences” by a court in the western province of Izmir, state-run Anadolu news agency said, for “attempting to overthrow the constitutional order”.

Such prison sentences, which replaced the death penalty in Turkey, carry harsher conditions than normal life sentences.

In total, 280 military staff are on trial over the failed coup bid.

The court gave 21 suspects a 20-year jail sentence for “assisting the assassination of the president” while 31 were given sentences between seven years and six months and 10 years and six months for being a member of an armed “terror” group, the agency added.