(Turkish Ambassador Onur Ozçeri recounts the event)
As part of the Commemoration of the Day of Democracy and National Unity of the 15 July, Turkish Ambassador to Benin Onur Ozçeri moderated, mardi 13 July 2021, in his residence (518 boulevard de la CENSAD), a press briefing. In front of the media men, he returned to the circumstances of the failed coup of the night of 15 July 2016 in Turkey during which the constitutional order was threatened.
"The 15 July 2016 in the evening, a coup attempt was perpetrated in Turkey. Turkish army putschists tried to storm key positions in Ankara, the capital and Istanbul, the largest metropolis in the country. Bombings have taken place on democratic institutions and organizations such as the Turkish Grand National Assembly”, recalls Turkish Ambassador Onur Ozçeri. According to his words, the coup soldiers faced strong opposition not only from elements loyal to the Government of the army and the police but also from the civilian population, which following the call of the President of the Republic, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, took to the streets in large numbers.
“Political parties in the country but also heads of state all over the world condemned the coup attempt”, he informs before saluting the bravery of the police, security and Turkish populations. "All night of 15 at 16 July 2016, the soldiers, policemen and citizens fought heroically to thwart the putschists who on the morning of 16 July had no choice but to surrender., continued the diplomat Onur Ozçeri. He recalled that the putschists were part of the terrorist organization FETÖ, whose objective was to bring to power their leader, Fethullah Gulen, an imam, leader of a network that includes schools, medias, companies around the world. “The members of this network had infiltrated many government institutions. That day, it is Democracy and National Unity that have triumphed. It's what we all celebrate 15 July in Turkey. We commemorate our martyrs who that evening sacrificed their lives. We remember their acts of heroism.", added Onur Ozçeri. For the Ambassador, the Turkish people reacted because they wanted the democratic order to survive. “He thus showed his attachment to his flag, to the nation, to democracy, freedom and independence", he specifies before concluding that Turkey has thus given a clear signal to the whole world : “Turkey is impassable ! »
Patrice ADJAHO