Shadow โof Coups Lingers Over Turkish Democracy, Veteran โขJournalist Yavuz Donat Reveals
ISTANBUL – Decadesโฃ after a series of military interventions derailed Turkey‘s democratic trajectory, veteran journalist Yavuzโฃ Donat is demanding fullโข transparency regarding the individuals involved in the shadowy structures established during those periods. In recently published excerpts, Donat details the formation of post-coup advisoryโฃ bodies and the extensive suppressionโฃ of media, raising questions about lingeringโ influences within Turkish society.
Donat’s reporting focuses on the aftermath of theโข Mayโ 27, 1960 coup, revealing the establishment ofโข an “Advisory Assembly” of 160 members following theโข closure of the Grand National Assembly. Forty members formed the command delegation, designated as the Nationalโ Securityโข Council, while the remainingโค 120 were drawn from across Turkey. Donatโ notes a staggering โขnumber – over 10,000โ – applied for membership, undergoing a vetting process described as evaluating “What did you do well and what did you blow.” Prosperous applicants were greeted with “Welcome asker” (soldier).
The โขjournalist also highlights the systematic silencing of dissenting voices in โtheโ press. Four newspapers – Demokrat, Her Gรผn, โข Politika, andโ Iลฤฑk – facedโ constant closure. Others experienced repeated shutdowns: Cumhuriyet was closed fourโค times for โa total of 41 days, Ulus four times for 72 days, Tercรผman โข twice for โ29 days, and Gรผneล twice โคfor 17 days. Donat grimly references the destruction of “hundreds of thousands” of books.
Donat โconnects theseโฃ interventions – including the March 12, 1971 memorandum and the Septemberโฃ 12, 1980 coup โ- as repeated attempts toโ derail Turkey’sโ democratic process. He points to the consequences: imprisonment, lengthy sentences, politicalโข bans, and a โimportant loss of life.
He concludes with a pointed observation about theโข present day, questioning the sincerity of โthose who proclaim “Down โwith the coup, long live democracy,” โคand alleging the presenceโฃ ofโ individuals who either dismiss โคthe coups as “theater” โor claim they were “controlled,” and who “are among โขus โtoday.” Donat calls for the release ofโ archivalโ facts to revealโฃ the identities โคof those who participated โคin these structures, arguing the nation has a right to โno.