A Strange July 15 Trial

How Did an Officer Who Operated Against the Coup Attempt and Was Shut by His Leg Become a Coup Member?

First Lieutenant Mustafa Koyuncu, who is convicted in the Turkish Special Forces trial, has one of the strangest as well as the tragic story of the July 15 coup attempt.

A per the request of Turkish Special Forces Commander Zekai Aksakallı, 1st Lieutenant Mustafa Koyuncu was assigned by Chief Dutier Umit Kocak as the commander to a quick reaction team of 4 pax and an armed vehicle that was tasked to protect the commander Zekai Aksakallı.

While the team was quarreling/discussing with gate guards to enter Sports School Complex where Zekai Aksakallı was and trying to have access to him to safeguard the commander Aksakallı, the armed vehicle was targeted by Cobra Helicopter.

The team commander 1st Lieutenant Mustafa Koyuncu was shut by his leg. Sergeant Osman Gul was also shut by his leg and last the part of his leg below the knee as the armed vehicle was targeted to devastation.

Having tried to escape from the shock of the event and later been taken under treatment in a hospital, 1st Lieutenant Koyuncu was sentenced to life imprisonment in the upcoming process by a conviction of coup attempt.

The only reason behind this imprisonment is Zekai Aksakallı’s suspicion of 1st Lieutenant Koyuncu, lacking any material clue.

1st Lieu. Koyuncu did not do anything, but the task was assigned to him by Chief Dutier. In his testimonial without facing any of his subordinates in the court,  Zekai Aksakallı claimed that Mustafa Koyuncu was sent by Colonel Ümit BAK and provided into another vehicle that interrupted Aksakallı’s way in front of Gazi Officer Club.

However,  Zekai Aksakallı stated in pure confusion in his testimonial that he requested an armed vehicle from Ümit Koçak after Aksakallı was interrupted in front of the officer club.

If he were really in contact with these putschists, why would he choose himself as their target? 

However, Gen. Aksakallı contradicted himself by stating in his testimonial that he had requested a vehicle from Ümit Koçak after he was interrupted at the gate of the Officer’s Club when he was about to leave there. Let’s have a look at the contradictions in trials: Gen. Aksakallı who demanded an armed vehicle, Chief Dutier Ümit Koçak who tasked the armed vehicle, and Volkan Vural Bal who managed the quick reaction team are considered as witnesses at the court case. All staff of the armed vehicle is exempt from accountability. 1st Lt. Koyuncu, on the other hand, is the only person among all other personnel involved, who was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. Assuming that the helicopter which was flying without a flight permission, was involved in the coup attempt; one would have difficulty in understanding why the putschists on this heli hit an officer, i.e. 1st Lt. Koyuncu, who was allegedly one of their comrades in the coup.

In the absence of substantial evidence, the only accusation brought against Lt. Koyuncu is that he was in contact with alleged putschists on the heli. But if he were really in contact with these putschists, why would he choose himself as their target? Lt. Koyuncu justifiably declared the truth at the top of his voice at the court: “If I were not shut and if the armed vehicle remained intact, I would have served under Gen. Aksakallı’s command and be a hero today. But I was hospitalized for 5 months in conditions worse than a prison, suffering 4 surgeries. And just as I was about to recover, I was humiliated and tortured while I was tied to my hospital bed. What a shame!”

Lt. Koyuncu’s case is not an exception; it is typical of other July 15 trials that convicts are charged with unfounded and self-contradicting accusations. In these coup trials, judges do not hesitate to give life imprisonment sentences against military personnel who would normally not be given even a simple warning at the end of an administrative investigation from their superiors. 

Despite their hasty attitude to deliver life imprisonment decisions, however, judges could not dare to ask Gen. Aksallı that “You are claiming the existence of coordination between the armed vehicle that you had requested and another vehicle that interrupted you at the gate of the Officer's Club. However, you are also stating that you requested an armed vehicle after you experienced the incident in front of the Officer's Club and Ümit Koçak sent it to you afterward. Is it not a contradiction? How do you explain that?”