Every year since 2016, nation marks July 15 as Democracy and National Unity Day, with events held nationwide to commemorate those who lost their lives beating back putschists
Türkiye is marking the eighth anniversary of the July 15, 2016, defeated coup attempt, honoring the lives lost and celebrating the nation’s unity. Since its designation in October 2016, July 15 has been observed as Democracy and National Unity Day, with nationwide events commemorating those who died and celebrating the nation’s resistance.
The coup attempt, in which 252 people were killed and 2,734 were wounded, was orchestrated by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and its US-based leader Fethullah Gulen. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan laid flowers at the July 15 Martyrs’ Bridge monument and praised the “nation’s heroic resistance against tanks and lethal weapons using only their bare hands” in his speech in Istanbul. He will later participate in a commemoration program at the Presidential Complex in Ankara.
In a display of unity, Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz and Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya attended a ceremony at the July 15 Martyrs’ Cemetery in the capital. Turkish Grand National Assembly Speaker Numan Kurtulmus highlighted the people’s determination and love for independence, preventing the coup plotters from taking over. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan reaffirmed the nation’s resolve to bring FETO members abroad to justice and honored the martyrs and veterans of July 15.
Türkiye continues to accuse FETO of a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through infiltration of key institutions like the military, police, and judiciary. Turkish officials have requested the US to extradite Gulen, but the request has not been granted. Turkish embassies and consulates worldwide organize commemorative events to emphasize the international significance of the failed coup attempt.
Azerbaijan Reaffirms Support
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev expressed solidarity with Türkiye in a letter to President Erdogan, honoring those who sacrificed their lives to thwart the coup attempt. Aliyev emphasized that Democracy and National Unity Day symbolizes the Turkish people’s solidarity and national unity. He reiterated Baku’s unwavering support, noting that Azerbaijan condemned the coup attempt from the outset and stood by the Turkish state and people.
