A bloody September: Turkey marks anniversary of 1980 coup

Even after four decades, the events of Sept. 12 still haunt the citizens of the republic, who managed to stave off the latest attempt by a terrorist group to crush their democracy in 2016.

Sept. 12, 1980, is just another date in the chronology of Turkey’s coups d'état. A powerful military tutelage long made the country accustomed to interventions in its democracy, but 1980 stands out as one of the most severe.

The coup that changed the lives of millions was the last “done in the chain of command,” and today is remembered for its torture, civilian mistreatment and human rights violations that followed it.

The public knew something was wrong when tanks rolled through the streets and soldiers sternly told those who were outdoors in the early morning to return home, but the coup really unfolded when Kenan Evren, then the chief of the general staff, read out over the radio that the army had seized control, making the “declaration” of the military-run National Security Council (MGK). The army’s justification was to put an end to the political turmoil aggravated by the rising conflict between left-wing and right-wing militant groups. The army was already planning a coup for July 11, 1980, but when the government won a confidence vote, they had to postpone their plans for what they called “Operation Flag.”


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