That nıght at the ghazı assembly

That Night At The GhazÄą Assembly

PUBLICATION OWNER ON BEHALF OF GNAT İSMAİL KAHRAMAN SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT WRITTEN BY Prof. Dr. Necdet ÜNÜVAR Adana Deputy

NEWS OF VISITORS GNAT TV News Production Group and Assembly News Portal

PUBLISHING COORDINATOR Mehmet Ali KUMBUZOĞLU General Secretary EDITOR Dr. Necati SUNGUR Head of Media, Publication and Public Relations EDITOR CONSULTANT İlhami Giray ŞAHİN Deputy Head of Media, Publication and Public Relations

PAGE DESIGN Işık ARSLAN COVER DESIGN Cihad TOPOĞLU TRANSLATION Elif Özlem ULUPINAR

CONTRIBUTORS İsmail KARAMAN Advisor

ISSUE Doğuş Agency - Simplified 1st Publication April 2018

Ümmet ARTUÇ Advisor

ISBN: 978-605-2089-00-2

Reyhan ARMAĞAN Advisor

PUBLICATION NUMBER 9000

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That Night At The Ghazı Assembly

Prof. Dr. Necdet Ünüvar Adana Deputy

That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

Prof. Dr. Necdet ÜNÜVAR Deputy of the Province of Adana, 23rd, 24th, 25th and 26th Parliamentary Periods Ceyhan-1960, Halil, Müzeyyen Doctor of Medicine and Faculty Member, Prof. Dr.; Graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of Atatürk University Served as the Head of the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism at the Faculty of Medicine of Atatürk University. He was the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health between 2002 and 2007. He is the founding member of the Endicrinology and Metabolism Association; IVEK Foundation, Adana Health and Tourism Association as well as the Language and Literature Association of Turkey. He has 7 published books.

He served as chairman and member of 7 Research Committees. He was a part of the Plan and Budget Committee for the 23rd and 24th Parliamentary Periods as well as undertaking in 2 Specialised Committees. During his tenure at the 24th Parliamentary Period, he was the Chairman of the Committee on Health, Family, Labor and Social Affairs and the Council for Combating Drugs. He is the chairman of Health, Family, Labour and Social Affairs Commitee. He also served as the Head of the Turkey-Azerbaijan Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group.

He speaks English, is married and is the father of 3 children.

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That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

CONTENTS PRESENTATIONS President Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN.................................................................................................................................................. 11 Speaker of Parliament İsmail KAHRAMAN............................................................................................................................. 13 Prime Minister Binali YILDIRIM....................................................................................................................................................... 15 THANKS Prof. Dr. Necdet ÜNÜVAR........................................................................................................................................................................ 17 DEPUTIES THAT WERE AT THE ASSEMBLY THAT NIGHT..................................................................................................................... 19 STORY OF THE BOOK......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 22 CHRONOLOGY......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 25 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 26 PART 1 PEOPLE TO THE STREETS, DEPUTIES’TO THE ASSEMBLY!................................................................................................................. 29 Before That Night.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 29 What If Reconciliation Couldn’t Take Place?........................................................................................................................ 30 At 09.30 p.m.; Abnormal Movement in the Air................................................................................................................. 32 At 10.58 p.m.; Prime Minister Yıldırım: “There is a Coup Attempt”.............................................................. 36 At 00.00 a.m.; Streets are Getting Active............................................................................................................................... 37 That Moment When Patriotism Meets Technology........................................................................................................ 39 If There is a Coup Attempt, You Have to Oppose It!....................................................................................................... 43

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That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

Here, This is How a Captain Should Be!.................................................................................................................................... 46 What If Nobody Else Comes?.............................................................................................................................................................. 47 All Staff on Duty!............................................................................................................................................................................................ 49 I am Going to the Assembly, I am Opening the Assembly..................................................................................... 50 All Deputies to the Assembly!........................................................................................................................................................... 51 Call Everyone in Marmaris to the Streets!.............................................................................................................................. 53 A Very Special Guest................................................................................................................................................................................... 57 Let Me Give a Kiss of Democracy..................................................................................................................................................... 58 We will Die for a 20 Thousand Lira Car!.................................................................................................................................... 59 Nobody Can Ruin Our National Unity and Solidarity!................................................................................................ 60 Down With the Fetullah Coup Attempt.................................................................................................................................... 64 If We Cannot Enter Here Today, When Will We Protect the Assembly?....................................................... 66 This is a Matter of Honor!....................................................................................................................................................................... 70 Father Wake Up! They are Under Taking a Coup, While you are Sleeping................................................ 70 Who are the Ones Inside?...................................................................................................................................................................... 74 Women Deputies Attracted Attention With Their Works That Day................................................................. 76 Coup Happens Even at This Era......................................................................................................................................................... 84 I Wish I Had a Gun! ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 88 Heart is Bigger Than the Body!......................................................................................................................................................... 89 Uproor of the Taxi Driver... ................................................................................................................................................................... 91 Ghazi Deputy..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 92

PART 2 SPIRIT OF ÇANAKKALE AT THE ASSEMBLY................................................................................................................................................... 95

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Both Will and Keys Are Necessery to Open the Assembly....................................................................................... 95 A Different Bureau of the Assembly!........................................................................................................................................... 96

That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

No Dresscode!.................................................................................................................................................................................................... 98 Media, Broadcast, Voice, Cable..................................................................................................................................................... 102 What a Wonder Face Time is!.......................................................................................................................................................... 103 There is No Sitting Around Today!.............................................................................................................................................. 104 A First in History... ................................................................................................................................................................................... 104 Coup Plotters Will Be Held Accountable to the Nation!........................................................................................ 107 Bomb to the Heart of the National Will............................................................................................................................... 111 We Have to Die Here!............................................................................................................................................................................. 115 My Son, My Son........................................................................................................................................................................................... 116 Not a Coup, Controlled Occupation!......................................................................................................................................... 117 If the Guard Troop weren’t Removed from GNAT......................................................................................................... 119 Cowards Die Many Times Before Their Deaths............................................................................................................... 120 1 Ton Brass Cap Ceased to Exist!.................................................................................................................................................. 122 If It was a Movie, We wouldn’t Believe!............................................................................................................................... 127 Coup Pilot: “I Personally bombed the Assembly”....................................................................................................... 128

PART 3 GHAZI ASSEMBLY IS RESISTING!....................................................................................................................................................................... 131 There is a Shelter Downstairs, Here is a Risk to Life................................................................................................. 131 We Will Write a Declaration, Is there a Venue?............................................................................................................. 133 Ephemera... ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 135 I Was Up All Night Three Times During My Political Life...................................................................................... 138 Mom, I am Not Alone... ...................................................................................................................................................................... 139 Ohhh Erol Olçok Ohh!............................................................................................................................................................................. 140 I Prefer This Honorable Duty to 20 years Deputyship............................................................................................. 143 What Avoided the Coup was that the Call of the President for people to take to the Streets........ 143 SOME CAPTIONS OF JULY 16-17, 2017....................................................................................................................................................... 147

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That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

PART 4 16 JULY AND AFTERWARDS................................................................................................................................................................................. 159 Extraordinary Meeting of the GNAT......................................................................................................................................... 160 The GNAT Joint Declaration ............................................................................................................................................................ 166 LIST OF GNAT VISITORS.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 168 Visit of President Erdoğan to the GNAT................................................................................................................................ 170 Visit of Council of Higher Education President Yekta Saraç and Rectors to the GNAT.............. 172 Visit of Union of Bars of Turkey to the GNAT.................................................................................................................... 173 Visit of Director of Religious Affairs Mehmet Görmez and 81 Provincial Muftis to the GNAT......... 174 Visit of 38 Non Governmental and Professional Institution Representatives to the GNAT........ 175 Visit of 11th President Abdullah Gül to the GNAT......................................................................................................... 176 Visit of Chief of the General Defense Staff Hulusi Akar and Force Commander to the GNAT......... 177 DEMOCRACY AND MARTYR’S MEETING.............................................................................................................................................................192 Prayer of the Director of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Mehmet Görmez at the August 7th Democracy and Martyr Meeting..................................................................................................................................................................... 192 President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan..................................................................................................................................................................... 195 Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman................................................................................................................................................. 197 Chairman of the Justice and Development Party (AK PARTY), Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım............ 198 Chairman of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu...................................................................... 199 Chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Devlet Bahçeli.......................................................................... 200 Chief of the General Staff Hulusi Akar....................................................................................................................................................... 201 LETTER SENT TO THE DEPUTIES BY SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT İSMAİL KAHRAMAN.......................................... 202 JULY 15 REACTIONS OF TURKISH CITIZENS LIVING ABROAD................................................................................................... 204 JULY 15 REACTIONS FROM WORLD LEADERS........................................................................................................................................ 207

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LETTERS SENT ABROAD FROM GNAT IN ORDER TO PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDIES THE COUP ATTEMPT................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 211 CONCLUSION....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 212 JULY 15 MARTYR’S........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 214

PRESENTATIONS

That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

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That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

Politics defends the manifestation of the national will through elections. In this manner, politics is the polar opposite of tyranny, oppression and violence. Politics is undertaken so that blood and tears do not flow, people are not killed, households do not fall apart, lives are not ruined; so that people can live together in peace and harmony and take care of their most basic needs in a secure environment.

Turkey, on the morning of May 27, 1960, experienced a painful tragedy during which guns took politics hostage and violence took the life of Menderes, a polite and forthright man of politics. They sentenced Menderes to death so that he could serve as a warning to those like us who have devoted their lives to a political struggle. But we held on to the memory of Menderes not as a warning but as a symbol of sacrifice so that it could serve as an example to increase our political will and determination.

With the understanding that serving the nation also meant facing all kinds of danger, we set upon this path by “killing death itself within ourselves”.

Despite all of the obstruction we faced and all of the injustices we endured, we always excluded violence and thus defended politics as the only method of struggle. We always believed that our long term struggle for the prevalence of politics would inevitably defeat violence. We were confident that the day would come when those who resorted to violence through the power of the gun would end up kneeling in front of politics and the national will.

July 15 is the name given to the total victory of politics and the national will in the face of violence. On July 15, the entire world admired our nation which stood up to oppression, tyranny, injustice, invasion and violence through unarmed clenched fists, chests filled with faith, belief and courage embodied by the national will. That night the streets were controlled not by the armed brigands of the coup plotters but by the will of our nation; under which millions of citizens without any coercion whatsoever opted to hold on tightly to their politics, choices, freedom and future.

Every coup has the end goal of first neutralizing the elected and then usurping the preference of the nation. That night while the nation defended their will, the deputies of the nation also demonstrated that they are deserving of the will of the nation that has elected them. Through the heroic stance our deputies have displayed on July 15 at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, which is the symbol of our national will and politics, they have protected the national will as well as the Parliament itself which has been entrusted to them through elections.

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That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

On July 15, while the nation fought bravely outside against those who tried to rob us of our national will, the deputies gave the same fight inside the Assembly. On a night in which the coup attempt took place, the opening doors and lights of the GNAT and the deputies rushing to get to the Plenary were all sources of confidence for our people while serving as a source of great fear to the coup plotters. Upon witnessing such a scene, the coup plotters worthy of acting as traitors, just like the militia of an invading force who have lost all sanity, displayed the audacity to bomb the Assembly of the nation, the Ghazi Assembly.

The violence which was put on display through the use of threats and bombings was not enough to break the will of steel of the nation and the deputies. Together with the nation, the Parliament and its deputies courageously resisted the coup attempt, soundly defeating it in the process.

Just as we never forget or let anyone forget the heroic actions during the War of Independence, 96 years after its opening we shall not allow the heroism put on display during July 15 by the GNAT to be forgotten for generations to come, thus once again giving our Assembly its designation of ‘Ghazi’.

I would like to take this occasion to once again wholeheartedly congratulate our deputies who put their lives on the line, undertaking their duties with the utmost care in order to protect the politics and national will of the Republic of Turkey against its enemies. I would also like to relay my wishes of a healthy recovery to the wounded deputies, their families, Assembly staff and security forces. I respectfully remember the martyrs among our citizens who so bravely gave their lives on the night of July 15, as well as relay my gratitude to our ghazi.

I also wish good fortune on this valuable work which has put on record the historic stance of the GNAT on July 15 in order to serve as an important guide and reference to future generations as well as world history. I would like to thank our Deputy from Adana, Necdet ÜNÜVAR as well as all those who provided assistance to this valuable work.

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Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN

President of the Republic of Turkey

That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

There are critical junctures in the history of nations. July 15 is one of these.

July 15 is an attempted coup perpetrated by “uniformed terrorists” who did not hesitate to use the tanks and planes they were entrusted by the nation for its own security against the people while mercilessly bombing them.

July 15 was not just a coup attempt, it was also an attempted invasion. A scenario attempted at different times in different ways by a group which included elements from the civilian, military and judiciary. They tried to put the same scenario on stage in its bloodiest form on July 15 but they could not succeed.

They could not succeed because they faced the nation and its representatives.

The nation, listening to the call of its Commander in Chief, took to the streets, squares, bridges; while their deputies rushed to the Assembly. The nation did not have cannons, rifles or tanks but what they had which the traitors lacked was an unshakeable faith and patriotism which meant the ability to sacrifice one’s life for their nation without any hesitation. This was the spirit which allowed the people to stand in the way of tanks and which allowed the deputies to rush to the Assembly.

The only Parliament in the world which has the designation of ‘Ghazi’ is the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Even though it was not a working day, once the attempted coup began on the night of July 15, we immediately opened the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and kept it open throughout the night. 107 of our deputy colleagues who were in Ankara that night rushed to the Assembly. The deranged coup plotters who could not stand the heroic resistance displayed by our nation proceeded on bombing the heart of our nation, they bombed our Assembly. Despite our Ghazi Assembly being bombed throughout the night by the traitorous group, we never left the Assembly and we never thought of leaving it. Deputies from the Justice and Development Party, the Republican People’s Party and the Nationalist Movement Party who were present at the Assembly that night, put aside their party politics and bonded together for our nation and flag.

I would like to thank and extend my appreciation to our esteemed deputies who undertook all hardships and risked martyrdom to rush to the Assembly in order to attend the Plenary which took place throughout the night despite the fact that the tanks had our Assembly in their sights and the bombing of the planes as well as gunfire by the circling helicopters. I thank Allah for being the Speaker of such an Assembly and being present at the Assembly on such a night. I also firmly believe that the hearts of all those deputies who were outside of Ankara that night were with us at the Plenary.

The following day we undertook an extraordinary session and published a joint declaration signed by all four political parties under the roof of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. The Parties expressed to the world that they stood beside democracy and against the coup and that they resisted the coup together.

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That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

I would like to thank our political parties and administrators who demonstrated a great and exemplary spirit of solidarity while protecting our spirit of unity and democracy. As a result of resisting the attempt at silencing the national will, our Assembly has earned the distinction of being a Ghazi for the second time.

There are many lessons to be learned from July 15. Our country and nation is facing great threats, both foreign and domestic which aim to disrupt our development by destroying the peace and security of this country. We are the owners of a great history as well as mission. We are Turkey. We shall never allow those who wish to divide us, nor should we ever be divided. We are declaring to the entire world that we are pursuing the principles of one nation, one state, one homeland under our crescent and star flag. Those who think of undertaking a coup in this country will have to not only think again but think a thousand more times from now on. Valor, fearlessness and courage are engrained in the DNA of our nation. Courage is not the lack of fear but rather overcoming fear. Upon witnessing the heroic actions of our nation, no power will be able attempt such a coup in the future.

As the representatives of the nation, our task is to bring our country and our national will to a level in which they will not be threatened nor could they be the target of any assassination attempts in the future.

We shall not forget that there is an entire geography whose hearts and hopes are with us. We shall work even harder to ensure that they hold their heads high. We shall give shoulder to shoulder in order to keep moving forward. We shall try to be befitting of this noble nation who got up on the morning following the heinous coup attempt and went to work giving the coup plotters a great lesson in the process. But we shall never forget what happened and never allow it to be forgotten. We will go above and beyond in order to ensure that a generation which loves their nation as well as country is brought about thus preventing outside forces from controlling individuals who similar to robots do not question any of their commands.

We need to pass on to our society, the world and future generations the events which took place in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey that played a vital role in defeating the traitorous coup attempt.

My colleague in arms whom we have walked down the same path at the Ghazi Assembly during the victory attained at the Second War of Independence experienced by our homeland and nation; the former Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health, Deputy from the province of Adana, Prof. Dr. Necdet ÜNÜVAR held extensive talks with the Deputies which were at the Assembly that night in order to prepare this comprehensive book. I would like to congratulate and thank the Professor for this valuable work. This is a very important work which will serve to ensure that we do not forget or let others forget the treason undertaken against our nation. Many of my colleagues have assisted in the completion of this work all of which I would like to congratulate. I believe that this book will not only be a valuable resource domestically but that it will also be beneficial outside of our country. I pray to Allah that our nation never experiences such dark days again. I respectfully remember all our martyrs who happily gave their lives for the unity of our nation, existence of our state and security of our homeland as well as extend my gratitude to all our brave ghazi.

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İsmail KAHRAMAN Speaker of Parliament

That NÄąght At The GhazÄą Assembly

We are the sons of a nation who value its wellbeing more than our own lives and who do not shy away from any sacrifice so long as it is aimed at protecting its independence and establishing peace and security in every corner of the country.

The Turkish nation has always demonstrated a legendary resolve and succeeded in protecting her homeland, flag and independence in the face of many counts of attempted invasions, atrocities and unprecedented betrayals aimed at erasing her from the pages of history.

This heavenly homeland in which we have lived in with peace, brotherhood and harmony for a thousand years is a legacy left to us thanks to the actions of our martyrs, ghazi and heroes.

On July 15, 2016 we witnessed an unprecedented coup attempt aimed directly at the will of the nation.

On that day, not only did we defeat the coup attempt aiming to turn our country into a defenseless entity ready to invade, we also won our independence once again.

Our beloved nation which stood up for the judiciary, elected government and national will of Turkey took to the streets that night to take their place beside our government and achieved an epic defense of democracy in order to light up that dark night.

All of the minarets, squares and citizens of Turkey protected the will of the nation that night.

As a result of the representative qualities of our President, Assembly and Government befitting of our beloved nation as well as the admirable democratic stance of our media, the traitorous FETĂ– member coup plotters had no choice but to surrender in a short period of time.

This noble resistance not only brought to their knees the terrorists disguised in military uniforms, it also once again demonstrated to the entire world through the weeks long democracy watch rallies the unrelenting will of the Turkish nation. We will forever be grateful to our glorious nation.

The GNAT which led the struggle for independence, remaining open throughout the night of July 15 despite the bombs raining down upon it has shown the world once again that our great nation will never hand over its right to sovereignty to any center of tutelage. I would like to thank all of the deputies and our Speaker who spent that night at the Assembly.

That night while our nation won over her independence once again, sadly, 247 of our sons and daughters were martyred while 2193 attained the status of a Ghazi.

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That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

Martyrdom and the title of a Ghazi is the greatest of honor bestowed upon our nation.

Allah Almighty said the following for martyrs, “DO NOT SAY THAT THOSE WHO ARE KILLED IN THE PATH OF ALLAH ARE DEAD. NO! INDEED THEY ARE ALIVE BUT YOU DO NOT KNOW”.

We will always protect all the sacred values for which our martyrs gave their lives and forever honor their memories. We will work with all of our strength to be deserving of our martyrs and ghazi and protect their sacred legacy.

The book entitled, “That Night at the Ghazi Assembly” prepared by our Deputy of the Province of Adana, Prof. Dr. Necdet Ünüvar has been presented to our people as a demonstration of this objective. I would like to thank all those who were involved in its preparation.

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Binali YILDIRIM

Prime Minister

That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

THANKS

Who wouldn’t give his life for this beautiful land?

Martyrs would flow if you hold the earth, martyrs!

May God take my life, my loved ones, all that is mine?

My only wish is that may he not part me with my country.

Mehmet Akif Ersoy

On the night of the 15th of July, 2016 traitors seeking to destroy the Republic of Turkey, our Nation and our democracy pointed the very same weapons belonging to the people against the people in order to attempt a coup, however, just as they had done in Çanakkale and during our War of Independence, our nation stood firmly in their way and gave the coup plotters the answer they deserved.

I would like to whole heartedly thank; Our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for his determined and firm stance during the attempted coup which provided a great source of courage for our nation in order to defeat the coup attempt, Our beloved nation which heeded the call by our President and took to the streets, gladly risking their lives in the process to stand in the way of the tanks, cannons, helicopters and bullets, Our 247 Martyrs and 2193 Ghazi whose sacrifice we will never be able to pay back, Our Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, İsmail Kahraman who kept the Plenary of the Ghazi Assembly open throughout that night to protect our nation’s sovereignty, Our Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım who displayed a decisive stance thus playing an important role in defeating the coup attempt, Chairman of the Republican People’s Party, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and Chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party, Devlet Bahçeli for protecting democracy by opposing the coup, Our deputies who made their way to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey upon the call by our Speaker of Parliament in order to present a unified resistance to the coup attack as well as those deputies who held on to our national will by standing shoulder to shoulder with our nation on the public squares, Our Chief of General Staff and members of the Turkish Armed Forces as well as our Police Forces who stood by the people against the terrorists disguised as soldiers, thus displaying a heroic resistance to the coup plotters and undertaking their sacred duty protect their nation, Head of the Presidency of Religious Affairs, our Imams and Muezzins who took their place at the mosques from the moment the coup attempt began to give their support to the nation’s will through their prayers, To our Governors, District Governors and Chiefs of Police who took every precaution possible to prevent possible insurrections, To our Mayor and staff of the Metropolitan Municipality who resisted the coup attempt through the use of their heavy machinery and other tools at their disposal from the onset,

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All health care providers who ran to their work stations that night and displayed superhuman efforts in order to treat the wounded, And the members of the media organizations who despite all threats took their position with the nation against the plotters.

If we could not display such unity and solidarity that night, I would not be able to write this book or live in this free country.

I would also like to thank; Our Speaker of Parliament, İsmail Kahraman for supporting the preparation of this book entitled, “That Night at the Ghazi Assembly” and help with getting it published, Deputy Chairmen of the Justice and Development Party, the Republican People’s Party and the Nationalist Movement Party for their valuable views and inputs, Our deputies who shared with us their experiences that night so that it could get published in this book, Erbay Kücet, the Deputy Secretary General responsible for Information and Information Technologies for always providing the necessary support in technical matters, Deputy Chairmen of Media, Publications and Public Relations of the GNAT, İlhami Giray Şahin and Dr. Necati Sungur, Chairman of the Record Office of the GNAT, Doğan Aytop and his team for transcribing the interviews and audio recordings on file, Assistant Administrator of the Justice and Development Party Parliamentary Group, Mustafa Özkan and Group Chief Şevket Sarıcaoğlu, Head of the Department of Security of the GNAT, Nurullah Öztürk and his team, Graphic Designers Işık Arslan and Cihad Topoğlu, Journalists Coşkun Ergül, Levent Eke, Hande Fırat, Nagehan Akbulut Varol and Önder Yılmaz for relaying their views and providing document support, Vahit Çalışır who contributed to our book through his valuable opinions, My collegaues who assisted in bringing together our notes and turning it into a book; İsmail Karaman, Ümmet Artuç and Reyhan Armağan, And my family for the continuing support they have provided for this work, just as they have done in all my previous work.

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Prof. Dr. Necdet ÜNÜVAR Adana Deputy

That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

DEPUTIES THAT WERE AT THE ASSEMBLY THAT NIGHT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

NAME İsmail Abdulhamit Abdülkadir Adnan Ahmet Ahmet Ahmet Ahmet Berat Ahmet Eşref Ahmet Selim Ali Ali Cumhur Alpaslan Atila Aydın Aykut Ayşe Ayşe Bekir Bennur Burhanettin Bülent Bülent Canan Celalettin Cemil Ceyda Emrullah Erkan Erkan Erkan

SURNAME KAHRAMAN GÜL YÜKSEL BOYNUKARA GÜNDOĞDU İYİMAYA UZER ÇONKAR FAKIBABA YURDAKUL ERCOŞKUN TAŞKIN KAVAKLIOĞLU KAYA ÜNAL ERDOĞDU KEŞİR SULA KÖSEOĞLU BOZDAĞ KARABURUN UYSAL ÖZ TEZCAN CANDEMİR ÇELİK GÜVENÇ ÇİÇEK BÖLÜNMEZ ÇANKIRI İŞLER AKÇAY HABERAL KANDEMİR

PARTY Speaker of Parliament AK PARTY Gaziantep Deputy AK PARTY Gaziantep Deputy AK PARTY Adıyaman Deputy AK PARTY Ankara Deputy AK PARTY Ankara Deputy AK PARTY Gaziantep Deputy AK PARTY İstanbul Deputy AK PARTY Şanlıurfa Deputy MHP Antalya Deputy AK PARTY Bolu Deputy AK PARTY Mersin Deputy AK PARTY Niğde Deputy MHP İstanbul Deputy AK PARTY Ankara Deputy CHP İstanbul Deputy AK PARTY Düzce Deputy AK PARTY Trabzon Deputy AK PARTY Yozgat Deputy AK PARTY Bursa Deputy AK PARTY Karabük Deputy CHP Çanakkale Deputy CHP Aydın Deputy AK PARTY Gaziantep Deputy AK PARTY Kahramanmaraş Deputy AK PARTY Ankara Deputy AK PARTY Mardin Deputy AK PARTY Ankara Deputy MHP Manisa Deputy MHP Ankara Deputy AK PARTY İstanbul Deputy

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20

32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71

Erol Fatih Fatma Betül Fatma Güldemet Hacı Bayram Hakan Halil Halil Haluk Hasan Hülya Hüseyin İbrahim Halil İlhan İlknur İmran İsmail Jülide Kasım Levent Leyla Lütfiye İlksen Lütfiye Selva Mahmut Mahmut Mehmet Mehmet Mehmet Mehmet Ali Mehmet Emin Mehmet İlker Mehmet Kasım Mehmet Mehdi Mehmet Necmettin Metin Mevlüt Mihrimah Belma Murat Murat Mustafa

KAYA ŞAHİN SAYAN KAYA SARI TÜRKOĞLU ÇAVUŞOĞLU ETYEMEZ ÖZCAN İPEK SERT NERGİS KOCABIYIK FIRAT CİHANER İNCEÖZ KILIÇ BİLEN SARIEROĞLU BOSTAN GÖK ŞAHİN USTA CERİTOĞLU KURT ÇAM KAÇAR TANAL BEKAROĞLU GÜNAL MUŞ ŞAHİN ŞİMŞEK ÇİTİL GÜLPINAR EKER AHRAZOĞLU BULUT DUDU SATIR ALPARSLAN EMİR KALAYCI

AK PARTY İstanbul Deputy AK PARTY Ankara Deputy AK PARTY İstanbul Deputy AK PARTY Adana Deputy AK PARTY Hatay Deputy AK PARTY Bursa Deputy AK PARTY Konya Deputy AK PARTY Şanlıurfa Deputy AK PARTY Amasya Deputy AK PARTY İstanbul Deputy AK PARTY Kayseri Deputy AK PARTY İzmir Deputy AK PARTY Adıyaman Deputy CHP İstanbul Deputy AK PARTY Aksaray Deputy AK PARTY Kahramanmaraş Deputy AK PARTY Manisa Deputy AK PARTY Ankara Deputy AK PARTY Balıkesir Deputy CHP Ankara Deputy AK PARTY Konya Deputy AK PARTY Çorum Deputy AK PARTY Ankara Deputy AK PARTY Şanlıurfa Deputy CHP İstanbul Deputy CHP İstanbul Deputy MHP Antalya Deputy AK PARTY İstanbul Deputy AK PARTY Karabük Deputy AK PARTY Muş Deputy AK PARTY Kahramanmaraş Deputy AK PARTY Şanlıurfa Deputy AK PARTY İstanbul Deputy MHP Hatay Deputy AK PARTY Elazığ Deputy CHP Hatay Deputy AK PARTY İstanbul Deputy AK PARTY Ankara Deputy CHP Ankara Deputy MHP Konya Deputy

That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107

Mustafa Mustafa Mustafa Mustafa Hilmi Mücahit Nazım Necdet Nevzat Nihat Nursel Oktay Orhan Orhan Orhan Ömer Özgür Radiye Sezer Ramazan Ruhi Sabri Salim Selçuk Sema Sena Nur Süleyman Şahap Tahir Tekin Tufan Uğur Utku Ünal Vecdi Yasin Yusuf Ziya

ŞAHİN YENEROĞLU MİT DÜLGER DURMUŞOĞLU MAVİŞ ÜNÜVAR CEYLAN ZEYBEKCİ REYHANLIOĞLU VURAL ATALAY KARASAYAR MİROĞLU SERDAR ÖZEL KATIRCIOĞLU CAN ERSOY ÖZTÜRK USLU ÖZDAĞ KIRCI ÇELİK SOYLU KAVCIOĞLU ÖZTÜRK BİNGÖL KÖSE BAYRAKTUTAN ÇAKIRÖZER DEMİRTAŞ GÜNDOĞDU AKTAY BAŞER ALTUNYALDIZ

AK PARTY Malatya Deputy AK PARTY İstanbul Deputy MHP Ankara Deputy AK PARTY Kilis Deputy AK PARTY Osmaniye Deputy AK PARTY Sinop Deputy AK PARTY Adana Deputy AK PARTY Ankara Deputy AK PARTY Denizli Deputy AK PARTY Kahramanmaraş Deputy MHP İzmir Deputy AK PARTY Ardahan Deputy AK PARTY Hatay Deputy AK PARTY Mardin Deputy AK PARTY Elazığ Deputy CHP Manisa Deputy AK PARTY Kocaeli Deputy AK PARTY Kırıkkale Deputy MHP Osmaniye Deputy AK PARTY Giresun Deputy AK PARTY Çorum Deputy AK PARTY Manisa Deputy AK PARTY Balıkesir Deputy AK PARTY Antalya Deputy AK PARTY Trabzon Deputy AK PARTY Bayburt Deputy AK PARTY Elazığ Deputy CHP Ankara Deputy CHP Çorum Deputy CHP Artvin Deputy CHP Eskişehir Deputy CHP Zonguldak Deputy CHP Kırklareli Deputy AK PARTY Siirt Deputy AK PARTY Yozgat Deputy AK PARTY Konya Deputy

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STORY OF THE BOOK We live the events but are not so willing to write it. The reason what lies under this unwillingness is the multitude or thought of “Which one shall we write” or we prefer to tell instead of writing.

We experienced many things on July 15, 2016: we had 247 martyrs and 2193 ghazi… Tanks which crushed vehicles and even people…Armed uniformed crazed terrorists whose brains are rented…

Young bodies on which bullets are raining… Young people who are crushed under tons of weights…

Bombed schools, apartments, bridges, buildings that were constructed by the nation with devotion…

One of these buildings is Grand National Assembly of Turkey/GNAT. Nation watched the bombing of the Assembly with fear. But what was happening at the Assembly at that time?

Turkish Nation wrote a new history on July 15. Then the history should write this nation with gold letters. A different heroism has been realized at different part of Turkey. Each person of the nation wrote his/her own story that night; everyone from man to woman, from children to old people; from the commander to the each citizen on the streets, from the deputies at the squares to the deputies at the Assembly…

I asked AK Party Deputy Floor Leader İlknur İnceöz 10 days after the July 15 Coup Attempt “Very historical things happened that day. Please write what you lived.” She offered me “Your writing is strong, please write it.”

22

Instead of saying “Which one should I write?”, I thought to write one. First I decided to write an article; then I decided to write a book. I thought that If I write it on my own it will be lacking. Can I write it by talking with the deputies who were at the Assembly that day? and shared my idea with Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman. Our Speaker of Parliament supported me by saying “Do it, we will support you.”

That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

Then I talked with AK PARTY Deputy Vice Chairman İlknur İnceöz and Mehmet Muş, CHP Deputy Vice Chairman Levent Gök and Özgür Özel, MHP Deputy Vice Chairman Erkan Akçay. They all said that it is a good idea. I started to work…

First I prepared a question list consisting of twelve questions. Then I took the list of deputies determined by the Assembly Presidency who were at GNAT that night and presented three offers to them.

I stated that I want to make an interview with who wants. The ones who don’t want to make it can send me the answers as voice recording or written. I made an interview with Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman, AK PARTY Group Deputy Vice Chairman Mehmet Muş, CHP Group Deputy Vice Chairman Levent Gök and Özgür Özel, GNAT Chief Ahmet Gündoğdu, AK PARTY Ankara Deputy Aydın Ünal. Ayşe Keşir, Radiye Sezer Katırcıoğlu, Mihrimah Belma Satır, Burhanettin Uysal, Alpaslan Kavaklıoğlu, Julide Sarıeroğlu sent voice recordings. I sent the records to the same friends in order to decode and approve them. Seventy six of deputies answered the questions.

A flow scheme has been formed for the period from the night of July 15 until the morning of July 16.

The first period consists of how, where and when was the coup attempt learned by the deputies and in which conditions they came to the Assembly; the second part consists of the period from the entrance of the Assembly garden until the bombing of the General Assembly Hall; the third part consists of the period from the bombing until 8 o’clock in the morning; the fourth part consists of the reflections of the attack in both domestic and abroad.

The points stated by the answerers were examined carefully. The parts appropriate to the flow and subject integrity have been placed to the related parts. Shortening has been made of course but importance has been given in order not to ruin the content integrity. The social media posts and texts within message groups have been scanned and placed in appropriate places.

At the end of the book, the whole of interviews were published. The first interview belongs to Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman. Then the alphabetical order has been used.

Photos, videos and documents about the event have been used in appropriate places by using the names of their owners. This book has been written in order to write down the events at the Assembly happened on July 15 in order to be expressed by people who experienced it. The only place of that day was not only GNAT, the deputies facing that moments are not only the ones at the Assembly.

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Prof. Dr. Necdet ÜNÜVAR AK Party Adana Deputy Dear İsmail KAHRAMAN AK Party İstanbul Deputy Speaker of Parliament Dear President I want to talk these moments with you with your permission as the Speaker of Parliament and member of our Ghazi Assembly.

1- When, where and how did you learned the coup attempt? What did you feel that moment?

How did you decide to come to the Assembly and open the Plenary?

2- Did you have difficulties while coming to the GNAT and entering it?

3- What were you feeling while coming to the Assembly? Did you predict that the GNAT will be attacked and even bombed?

4- What did you feel when the Assembly was bombed?

5- What did you think after you saw the points of the Assembly which were bombed?

6- We experienced the Plenary and the afterwards period together. Can you tell me your thoughts about standing against the coups together with the ruling party and opposition party in the same environment?

7- Our President was on television via the camera on his phone and invited people on the streets in order to protect the national will. Our nation ran to the streets. What do you want to say about our nation which wrote a new heroism story?

8- How did you get the news from outside while you were at the Assembly? What did you feel about yourself and your relatives who weren’t with you? Have you any friends who were martyred or injured during the coup attempt?

9- The next day you invited the GNAT to an extraordinary meeting. What were you feeling?

10- Our country experienced coups before. . How do you evaluate the July 15 coup attempt when you compare it with the others?

11- What do you want to say about the role of that you and the GNAT were at the Assembly at that moment in the failure of the coup attempt which caused that many citizens were martyred or became ghazi?

12- Do you want to add something?

Yours Sincerely, Address: GNAT Yeni Hizmet Binasi 1. Kat No 1081 Bakanliklar/Ankara Tel: 0(312) 420 55 32-33 Fax: 0(312)420 53 55 necdet.unuvar@tbmm.gov.tr www.necdetunuvar.com.tr

24 At that evil night many deputies were on the streets and fought together with the citizens. Hence, this

That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

CHRONOLOGY

GNAT Defense Phone call of Prime Speaker of Parliament president declared Minister Binali İsmail Speaker of Parliament Yıldırım to NTV Kahraman goes to the İsmail Kahraman Official Residence that the polıce in from GNAT upon Beylerbeyi were completing arrested its ordinary program

The first entrance Speaker of Parliament of Speaker of İsmail Kahraman Parliament İsmail goes to the Çankaya Kahraman to the Mansion and a crisis Ayrancı gate and table is formed at giving the order Prime Ministry, road for opening the map is determined Assembly

Broadcast of Plenary Opening the Speaker of Parliament Second entrance of Recep Tayyip via Face time İsmail Kahraman Speaker of Parliament Plenary hall and Erdoğan is on CNN leaves Çankaya İsmail Kahraman from entrance of Speaker TURK via Facetime Mansion to go to the the Ayrancı gate of Parliament and Assembly deputies

Entrance of the live Entrance of A Haber Formation of Bureau First bomb at GNAT Second bomb at GNAT (Main Building) (Garden) broadcast vehicle to Camera to the GNAT of the Assembly by Plenary Hall and Speaker of Parliament the Assembly from Çankaya gate by starting to broadcast İsmail Kahraman from AK Party, CHP and the Plenary live GNAT Chief MHP Group Deputy Chairmen

Going to the shelter and continue to work

Third bomb at the GNAT (Main Building)

Starting to prepare the common council notice at the shelter

Trial of coups to land on the GNAT Ceremony Area with helicopter

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INTRODUCTION Nobody was expecting. Everyone was saying “A coup at this Era. Is it possible?” It was not a coup but it was an attempt a very brutal one. A group of ‘ uniformed terrorist ‘ tried to make a coup attempt on July 15 by using the tanks, guns, planes of the nation ,but they failed to satisfy.

The nation wasn’t expecting a coup but the coup plotters also weren’t expecting such a nation. It was so clear how far they were from the nation! The heart of the people defeated the tank and guns of the coups. The people were on streets upon the call of President and Commander Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and used their body as a shield; they protected the Country, Democracy and Republic.

The nation ran to the squares. We, as selected from different regions of the country, also ran. As the selected deputies by the nation we tried our best in order to merit . At that dark night we gathered together under that roof, we left our political ideas, differences and became one and single. This fighting spirit has reminded me what a nation can achieve everything when they have a trustfully leader who shows them way.

In 1920, when the idea of opening the Council came, an appropriate building was found and the manifestation of the national will had been decided. As a result of negotiations it has been decided that the Assembly will be opened Friday on April 23, 1920 in the building which started before but couldn’t able to finish till now.

On that opening day early in the morning everyone; woman, man, child, old, people who wear turban or trooper; all the citizens were at the ceremony area.

After the Friday prayer at Hacı Bayram Mosque, prayers were heard from the sky. These sincere prayers were still with us at that evil night.

This book has been prepared so as that common standing will be recorded in the history and the same attitude should be adopted if a same problem happens anymore. I hope that our beautiful country and nation won’t face such an incident again.

26

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27

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PART 1 PEOPLE ARE ON THE STREET, DEPUTIES ARE AT THE ASSEMBLY! Before That Night The Assembly had worked during the night of July 14 to July 15. A law with multiple articles about ameliorating the investment environment was discussed. At 10.00 p.m. we heard a bad news from Nice. During the National feast celebrations, 84 people died at a terror attack. We were all very sad about the death of these innocent people.

At that time nobody could think that only after 24 hours tens of tanks will be driven on people by traitors wearing the military uniform of their own soldiers and the national building in which they were sitting now will be bombed… Turkey has always condemned any terror attack, at the upmost level… President Erdoğan has stated about the terror attack in France that “We wait that everyone who shows a hesitant attitude towards terror will get the necessary lessons from this latest attack in France.

Prime Minister Yıldırım has stated that “Terror has no religion, nationality. Terror knows one thing: Killing! The entire world should know that it is very false to show difference in fight with terror and see some terror organizations innocent or less dangerous.”

Nice Statement of Prime Minister Yıldırım

Turkish nation is sharing the pain of France and is beside France in fight with terror.

15 July 2016

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What If Reconciliation Couldn’t Take Place?

When we turn back to that night, reconciliation was provided between the ruling party and opposition about a questionable subject. If reconciliation didn't provide, the Assembly would work a few days more.

Anadolu Agency Turkey’s Agenda before July 15 coup attempt

CHP Group Deputy Vice Chairman Manisa Deputy Özgür Özel: If reconciliation wouldn’t be provided… There was an article in the draft about ameliorating the investment environment consisting of 80 - 90 articles - it was enacted later with changes. If it went like that, if reconciliation wouldn’t be provided on July 14, the Assembly would decide to work on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and maybe the Assembly would be working during the coup attempt

Our Assembly shift which started on July 14 Thursday ended on Friday morning 02.24 a.m.

Friday was calm.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hadn’t an official program that day.

AA Agenda 1- Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım will welcome Sea Commerce Chamber CEO Metin Kalkavan, TUBITAK President Arif Ergin and SETA Association President Burhanettin Duran at his Office at Dolmabahce.

2- CHP Party council will meet at the headquarter with Vice President Kılıçdaroğlu 3- Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek will make a press release about ‘2016 OECD Turkey Economic Investigation Report ‘ with OECD General Secretary Angel Guima 4- Minister of Economy Naci Agbal will organize a pres meeting about Macro ECEconomic Developments and January-July 2016 Period

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Appointments of Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım which started on 02.30 p.m. at Dolmabahce Office continued until 09.00 p.m. -

OUR HOUNARABLE PRIME MINISTER BİNALİ YILDIRIM'S 15TH JULY 2016 FRIDAY PROGRAMME Time

: 14.30 Chamber of Shipping President Metin Kalkavan's acceptance

Place

: Dolmabahçe Palace

Time : 15.00 TÜBİTAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) President Arif Ergin acceptance Place

: Dolmabahçe Palace

Time : 18.45 SETA (Foundation for Political Economic and Social Research) General Coordinator Burhanettin Duran acceptance Place

: Dolmabahçe Palace

Some of the deputies were in Ankara after an intense and long shift. Most of them were at election regions.

Our day was calm. We went to Erzurum with the 07.40 p.m. flight for a condolence visit of the uncle of Minister of Health Recep Akdağ. But there was an extraordinary intensity in the traffic. We went to the airport. We missed the plane. I was worried my wife said: I am not sad. Every cloud has a silver lining.

We went back. We didn’t know that the missed plane would provide us to witness a historical night.

We came home.

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That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

At 09.30 p.m.; Abnormal Movement in the Air

Helicopters flying over the palace and gun voices

Our home is very near to the Presidency Palace… We were sitting at the balcony looking at the Palace.

We saw that a helicopter toured around two times at 09.30 p.m. I didn’t take it serious. At that hour it is not normal that a helicopter flies. Especially on Beştepe. At that time we heard gun noises. At 10.00 p.m. a jet passed… I was getting curious. Then I heard that Bosphoros Bridge (Boğaziçi) was closed to traffic on one part. I thought that it was a measure for a possible terror attack. But the truth was revealed later.

Bosphoros Bridge were closed

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That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

As time passed, we understood that they wouldn’t close the bridge. They targeted the basic values of the Turkish Nation.

I understood that there as something strange and I called a deputy. He said: “I think there is a problem.”

We didn’t think about a coup. Then I talked with the former Energy Minister Taner Yıldız. He said “I am at Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge. They closed the traffic on one part. I will go from Anatolian side to European side. I am trying to learn.

What is happening in İstanbul and Ankara. İstanbul I was not only the one who tried to learn what was happening. Deputies were suspicious about a problem from a phone or low flight of F-16 planes but most of them thought that it was a measure against a terror attack.

bridges are closed. Jets are flying over the Assembly

Yes true. There is a bomb information

After a while some friends were underlining the “military movements”.

There is a military movement in Ankara and İstanbul

Some deputies were sure that it was a coup attempt.

According to me it is a coup attempt

There is a coup attempt except the chain of command.

33 * AKGRUP-Justice and Development Group (AK PARTY)

That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

On one hand the quality, on the other hand the actions were on their agenda.

Then I called Murat Aydın who is the Executive Assistant of our Prime Minister in order to get more information. When he said “I think there is an attempt, a coup attempt, I started to see red. We discussed with my wife: We have to do something, we have to take action!

Deputies were mostly curious about where the President was and how he was.

To the Assembly or Headquarters

We have to form a crisis table

Shall we go to the Assembly?

Do you know where our President is?

Where is our President?

İstanbul deputies Mustafa Şentop and Nureddin Nebati were sharing information about the situation of the President. Mustafa Şentop had stated that President will make a statement within one hour.

This is an announcement

President is good

President greets everyone

He will make a statement in one hour

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That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

Şentop and Nebati were transferring messages which were thought to be the suggestions of President Erdoğan.

Hello

We wait for your order

Let’s gather our nation together in the squares of our cities and districts

Hello

We wait for your order

Everyone to the nearest organization

While deputies in Ankara were going to the Assembly and other were running to the squares, they were sure that the nation won’t leave them alone.

We are with our president. We are waiting for his order

Necdet ÜNÜVAR

God may be with us

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At 10.58 p.m.; Prime Minister Yıldırım: “There is a Coup Attempt.”

The information about everyone was curious came at 10.58 p.m. The coup attempt was announced by the Prime Minister on NTV to the whole nation. Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım has Our Prime Minister makes an explanation on NTV announced that the members of F. Gülenist Terrorist Organization (FETO) who are in the army are realizing a coup attempt. The action of which we were suspicious about was now officially approved and everything was revealed.

15 July

Our Nation must know that we won't allow any attempts against democracy

We are thinking about a coup attempt. There is an illegal attempt

First NTV connection of Prime Minister Yıldırım

36

Second explanation of Prime Minister on A Haber

15 July 2016

That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

At 00.00 p.m.; Streets are Getting Active I told to my wife Mrs. Sare “Let me go to the Headquarters. It is very close to our house. 700 m away. I called my brother in law and we went. On the way I saw the message of Ankara Deputy Julide Sarıeroğlu in the AK PARTY WhatsApp Group “Aydın Ünal and I are in the room of Ahmet Gündoğdu.

Aydın Ünal and I are at the Assembly

We are at the room of Ahmet Gündoğdu

Jülide Sarıeroğlu: I called Afyonkarahisar deputy Ali Özkaya when my sister informed me about the abnormal movement in the air. Özkaya has stated that “we are facing a coup attempt. F. Gülenist Terrorist Organization (FETO) is realizing it.” I called Aydın Ünal.

When Aydın Ünal stated that we have to go to the Assembly, I have told Ahmet Gündoğdu the negotiation I made with Aydın Ünal about going to the Assembly…

He stated me that he will call Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman and will call me back.

While talking with Ahmet Gündoğdu, there were serious jet noises and some bombing noises. It was 10.00 p.m. Gündoğdu stated that he was living very near to MIT and the MIT building was raked. Then we decided to go to the Assembly. …I think it was twelve o’clock at night. We have shared from our WhatsApp group that we are at the Assembly with Aydın Ünal.

We will protect the national will and democracy We meet with all of our deputies at the Assembly 15 July 2016

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Photo: Orhan Atalay Office of GNAT Chief Ahmet Gündoğdu (From right; Ayşe Sula Köseoğlu, İlknur İnceöz, Lütfiye Selva Çam, Mustafa Şahin, Ahmet Gündoğdu, Orhan Atalay, Ayşe Keşir, Sema Kırcı, Bennur Karaburun)

As a result of these developments, I decided to go the Assembly and we went there. Some cars blocked the road at the General Staff junction, traffic was blocked.

38 Police closed the roads. I cannot go

We are in front of the naval forces

That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

That Moment When Patriotism Meets Technology The reason why the traffic was so blocked was that the military vehicles blocked the roads and the people were running to streets and Assembly; because at that time President was on CNN Turk with 4,5 G via Face time to the program of Hande Fırat and called the nation on streets for protecting their democracy, State, Assembly. People were on streets and the streets were very busy.

CNN Turk Ankara Representative Hande Fırat: …I finally reached the Executive Assistant of President, Hasan Doğan. I asked him “How are you? What is happening?” he stated “We are in Marmaris. We are also trying to understand. This was the first talk. We closed by stating to communicate later mutually… I called again. I asked “Hasan what will you do?” He said “Hande we will make a statement.”

I wrote as latest news “President will make a statement.” … Activation increases. We are on broadcast. An hour passed but there is no statement from the President. We are sitting with Abdulkadir (Selvi) side by side. “President would make a statement. What happened? I asked” …I called Hasan again. I asked “You would make a statement. What happened?”

His voice was strange. “Everything didn’t go as we expected Hande he said.” What happened?” I asked. We cannot make a statement; we made a broadcast from Periscope! he said. I said “What broadcast from Periscope? How can we get it?” If President talked you must give it.

…“Protect Democracy.” This message changed the way of the coup

If you have a Periscope, do it from there, he said. I don’t have but I have Face time.

Because my 11 years old daughter Nehir loves it. Then I say “Can the President talk to us?” I insisted so much that Hasan asked him. …Then my phone rang. Hasan, said “Ok Hande let’s make Face time.” …I opened Face time immediately and he is there… Hasan on the front, President at the back.

I was thinking that he won’t talk with me but he did.

Everyone is curious about whether the President lives or not, he is good or not, he is on his duty or not. This was the most critical thing. We gave his image. His messages were good. President Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN is one of the most important statesmen of the Turkish political history. He directed this disaster to a very different direction with his messages that night. …“Protect Democracy.” This message changed the way of the coup

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President Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN is one of the most important statesmen of the Turkish political history.

HANDE FIRAT - Dear President, we are listening.

PRESIDENT RECEP TAYYİP ERDOĞAN - This, what is happening today is a coup attempt of a minority within the Armed Forces and is a movement encouraged by a parallel structuring. I believe that they will get the necessary punishment with a good answer given by the nation against this movement. They will pay the price of doing this by using the tank, cannon, plane, helicopter of the nation and we won’t allow this as the President, Prime Minister, and Government. I believe that we will remove this attempt as soon as possible. I want to say that we will do what is necessary. No one will have the power of testing our determination.

President Erdoğan’s Hande Fırat interview

I am making call to the nation. This is: I invite people to the squares, airports. Let’s gather together on streets, airports. This minority group should come with tanks, cannons and should do what they want there. I don’t know a higher power than the power of nation and I won’t know from now on.

15 July

I invite everybody to the squares, airports. I will also be with them.

40

President Erdoğan: I don’t know a stronger power than the nation and I will never know.

15 July 2016

ABDULKADİR SELVİ - Dear President, is this movement within the chain of command? What will you say as the President of the Country?

PRESIDENT RECEP TAYYİP ERDOĞAN - The chain of command doesn’t work here. I am the President and Commander. The jurisdiction gave the answer to those who took such a step.

The necessary will be done. Nobody should be concerned about it.

That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

ABDULKADİR SELVİ - Dear President, you call people to squares in order to protect democracy.

We repeat this again here. Will the ones who do this attempt account for this?

PRESIDENT RECEP TAYYİP ERDOĞAN Absolutely they will give account in front of the jurisdiction and this will facilitate the work of people who believe in democracy.

ABDULKADİR SELVİ - Will the coup plotters be successful? There are concerns.

PRESIDENT RECEP TAYYİP ERDOĞAN - I don’t think that they will be successful. In the history coups haven’t been successful. They will be removed early or late.

Speech of President Erdoğan on the coup night which wasn’t on media.

Minister called. He said “Hande, we know you for years. You always say Dear President, Dear Prime Minister, And Dear Minister. You said for the first time dear Our President.

I said Dear Our President”… Democracy is a beautiful thing and we have to protect it; this is why I said our President.

July 16th, 2016 00:50 a.m.

Face time broadcast of TGRT Ankara Representative Batuhan Yasar with President Erdoğan

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Photo: GNAT Archive GNAT Dikmen gate closed with busses– July 16th, 2016

We continue to go towards the Assembly with difficulties. We entered the Assembly garden from the Dikmen gate via Çetin Emeç Boulevard. When we arrived, Dikmen gate was closed with busses. While polices were letting us in, bullet voices came from behind.

We will protect the national will till the end

GNAT gates were closed with tanks

42

15 July 2016

Passing of tanks around GNAT

I thought that there was an in fight around the General Staff or Coast Guard. We learned that jagers on the General Staff were shooting. Now I think maybe a bullet may hit us.

That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

If There is a Coup Attempt, You Have to Oppose It! It is an important duty to know how the heroes at the Ghazi Assembly came there and to record this in history. It is a very applaudable thing that people with different personalities, from different parties and with different thoughts were there with the same aim without planned before.

Before passing on the heroes of that night we have to state that the person who was leading the heroes at the GNAT was Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman. He passes into history by opening the Assembly and show the indestructible power of the Turkish Republic with the deputies to the whole World. Even he says that each deputy who came is a hero, he realized the most important function of that day.

NECDET ÜNÜVAR - I want to congratulate you for your attitude on July 15. Your surname was Kahraman (*means Hero in Turkish) but now your title is also “hero”.

SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT İSMAİL KAHRAMAN - Thank you very much. I behaved like I had to. It was my duty. You were with me also. The same titles also belong to you.

NECDET ÜNÜVAR - But there is such a difference. It wouldn’t be expected from you of course but you may say “I cannot put the life of people into danger, I don’t open the Assembly.” And the Assembly wouldn’t be opened.

The person who was leading the heroes at the GNAT was Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman.

Maybe I would come and walk in the garden but cannot enter the Plenary. It was a very important decision to open the Plenary while bombs were raining and exploding.

SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT İSMAİL KAHRAMAN - All together.

Dear İsmail Kahraman is an experienced politician who witnessed coups. Who else could understand what will happen that night?

When Kahraman saw the F-16s flying low, he was thinking about a coup and remembered the painful memories. At that time with the phone of Protection Department Head Nurullah Öztürk, he hadn’t any doubt.

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Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman: I was a student at Law Faculty in 1960. I know the May 27 coup. Then I know the February 22, 1962 coup attempt.

Now I know 1960, I know Talat Aydemir, 1962, 1963… And 1971 March 12 coup attempt…

1980, September 12, on September 11 there was a blood bath, on September 12 everything was over. Between 1960, May 27 and today there are 16 coups. July 15 is the 17th. As I know the previous ones, I knew that we had to resist. If there is a coup, you have to stand against. If not, it is not correct.

The last sentence is important: “If there is a coup, you have to stay against. If not, it is not correct.” With these feelings, he thought to take action as soon as possible. Let’s listen to the rest from him: Since I know the old coups and know that we have to resist… I was at dinner at Çankaya, National Assembly Presidency Housing, it was half past nine, o voice, F16 Thirth thirth thirth… a great voice, a flight from low…We immediately turned on the television, a tank was on the Bosphoros Bridge (Boğaziçi). It entered. I performed

44

The soldiers who came to the GNAT in order to invade

That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

ablution, a phone came, Protection Director Nurullah said “soldier took the gun of the night watchman in the Beylerbeyi Palace and they are on the bridge.” This is the beginning… I came to the Assembly. There were no one on the street, a normal night, traffic was active.

NECDET ÜNÜVAR - Could you communicate with our President, Prime Minister?

SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT İSMAİL KAHRAMAN - I didn’t communicate with anyone.

I act on my own. I couldn’t find the President..

Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman worked until 09.30 p.m. on July 15, Friday at his office. At 09.41 p.m. he left the GNAT in order to go home. A short while after he reached home, he heard about the coup.

Deputies in Ankara came to the GNAT with different ways and methods but focusing on the same target. When everyone was agreed upon the idea that a coup attempt was made, there was an alliance about opening the GNAT. A fast decision should be taken. There were 6 points where deputies in Ankara gathered together: Presidency Palace, Çankaya Palace (Presidency), AK PARTY Headquarters, CHP Headquarters, MHP Headquarters.

If there is a coup, you have to stay against.

General center watch continues

16 July 2016

I warned the police that there is a coup

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Here, This is How a Captain Should Be! AK PARTY Ankara Deputies Aydın Ünal, Julide Sarıeroğlu and Ahmet Gündoğdu came to the GNAT the earliest. They told how they came to the Assembly: Ahmet Gündoğdu: I started again walking that day. My house is in front of National İntelligence Agency (MIT). I started to walk. Akit Newspaper Manager called me. He said “I heard that there is a coup, do you know anything?” No I said. I didn’t hear.

I went home. When I was at home, MIT was bombed.

I called our Provincial Chairman Nedim Yamalı. I asked him “Did you receive an order, a coup is happening, where will we meet, and what will we do?” He hadn’t received an order. I called the General Secretary Abdulhamit Gül. I asked if there was something about the headquarter. He said “Now an evaluation is made, there is not something clear.”

It is time for protecting democracy.

15 July 2016

I called our Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman. I was saying “There is coup happening, we have to open the Assembly, we have to go to the Assembly.” İsmail Kahraman said with a calm voice “Ahmet I am at the Assembly, come, I am waiting, let’s evaluate it here.

I said “this is the captain.”

46

… Ankara Deputy Aydın Ünal and Julide Sarıeroğlu were the two names who called me… I said them “We are going to the Assembly, İsmail Kahraman is waiting us, I am coming.” I came to the Assembly… Deputies Aydın Ünal and Julide Sarıeroğlu were there.

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What If Nobody Else Comes?

At the beginning the number was less, the ones who came were concerned; what if nobody else comes?

Aydın Ünal: My first concern was: We were 3 or 4 AK PARTY deputies, there were such CHP deputies.

Not providing the necessary number was concerning me.

If there were 50, I wouldn’t be so concerned and I would be more relaxed. But the number was less.

We will protect the country with our life. Be calm.

15 July 2016

But then the number increased. Even the Chief of the Assembly Ahmet Gündoğdu was calling Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman.

Aydın Ünal is at the 1st gate

Ahmet Gündoğdu: I called the Speaker of Parliament. I said “We are here. Our number is increasing. We are waiting for you.” He said “I will come Ahmet.”

At that time opposition deputies started to come to the Assembly. This caused astonishment and satisfaction.

Aydın Ünal: Ahmet Gündoğdu came, before Ahmet Gündoğdu came, some of our AK PARTY deputies came and then CHP deputies came, while we were waiting in front of the gate CHP We wait all deputies to the Assembly deputies came Bülent Tezcan and his friends were there. They stated their get well wishes. Their arrival relieved us…

16 July 2016

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Not only the arrivals but also the talks of CHP members were pleasing us. AK Party İstanbul deputy Mustafa Yeneroğlu was stating that sincerely: I think that the speeches of our friends and especially CHP Vice Chairman Bülent Tezcan were motivating us. It was a very sincere feeling for us that the missed unity and solidarity was caught again

Aydın Ünal was concerned about whether opening the Assembly or not: We thought that we have to be on streets or protect the Assembly but the decision should be given.

At that time I talked with Group Deputy Chairmen about the opening of the Assembly. I want to take their decision but they didn’t decide. It was a risk subject.

They didn’t decide.

Aydın Ünal was concerned but Ahmet Gündoğdu stated that the Assembly should be opened.

Aydın Ünal: At that time Assembly Safety Chief has stated to Ahmet Gündoğdu that “It is risky to open it. When we will open it, it will be a target and we don’t have enough guns to protect it. It was a right concern. I said “Yes he has the same concerns with me.” I thought whether we should leave.

Ahmet Gündoğdu stated to the Safety Chief that: “We are here to defend the will of the nation, we are ready to die; If they want they can come, we won’t give up, we will open this Assembly.” At that moment all my concerns were gone…

Murat Alparslan came to the Assembly as a result of intense telephone traffic.

48

We discussed with the Ankara Deputies (Aydın Ünal, Ahmet Gündoğdu, Julide Sarıeroğlu, Fatih Şahin) whether we should go to the Province Directorate, Headquarters or the GNAT. We have shared this with the Headquarters.

There were directions on social media about that.

We came to the GNAT from streets and we are on duty

16 July 2016

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It was important to be there for everyone at some point. There were different decisions on what to do or where to go.

Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman had come and went to the Çankaya mansion and turned back to the Assembly.

SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT İSMAİL KAHRAMAN - I came to the Assembly…

I said: I will go to Çankaya. I will talk with the government. I call the Assembly for an extraordinary meeting tomorrow.

NECDET ÜNÜVAR - You say that before opening the Assembly.

SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT İSMAİL KAHRAMAN - Before opening. As soon as I arrived here “I will open the Assembly tomorrow, I will make extraordinary meeting, prepare a special invitation letter for the leaders of the four parties and notify it to the Group Deputy Chairmen with SMS. GNAT PLENARY IS CALLED FOR A MEETING TOMORROW AT 02.00 p.m.

Turn on the lights, voice system should be installed, I will open the Assembly.

Now I am going to Çankaya, I am going to the Government. I will come back.

All Staff on Duty!

The order of Speaker of Parliament has been realized.

The GNAT Safety Department Head Nurullah Öztürk: At 10.40 p.m. the entrances to the Assembly were stopped except deputies. Ayrancı and Dikmen gates were completely and Çankaya gate was partially closed with two busses. Security staff that was on leave came immediately back.

Fri

It is the order of our Prime Minister. All staff in Ankara on duty.

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At that time, polices who were protecting the GNAT were on caution.

Tayfun Karakuş (GNAT Police Officer): We realized the seriousness upon the fire and bullets coming on us. We were at our sites upon the order message sent on 23.34 p.m. by the GNAT Safety Department Head.

The decision was given. Plenary was opening.

There were 107 deputies at the Assembly that night. Most of them (eighty) were from AK PARTY. This is natural because the first target of coups was the ruler government and its representatives but on the contrary of the other coups, there were sixteen from CHP and ten deputies from MHP. This showed that everyone was there with full unity for the Ghazi Assembly.

I am Going to the Assembly, I am Opening the Assembly Entrance of Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman into the building.

Speaker of Parliament Kahraman decided to open the Assembly. He went to Çankaya Palace for making some negotiations.

SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT İSMAİL KAHRAMAN - When I came to Çankaya there were Süleyman Soylu, Lütfi Elvan, İsmet Yılmaz, Minister Fatma Betül, Abdulhamit Gül, Mehmet Muş, Prime ministry undersecretary, National Security Council General Secretary Seyfullah Hacımüftüoğlu…

I am going to the Assembly, I am opening the Assembly. Let’s go I said. İsmet Yılmaz said: “I will stay here. The government should stay here. I said Ok. I am at the gate, a helicopter, thith thith thith… Until that time there was no fire at Çankaya. We got in the car and went down. We entered the Assembly from Ayrancı. …I went to the Plenary directly…

50 Photo: GNAT Archive GNAT Speaker İsmail Kahraman at GNAT on July 16, at 01.06 a.m.

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AK PARTY Deputy Floor Leader Mehmet Muş also left the Çankaya Palace with İsmail Kahraman.

Mehmet Muş told the hours he experienced while leaving Çankaya and entering the Assembly: Then İsmail Kahraman said “bismillah”. We left. Electricity was cut while we were descending the stairs. We went down with the light of police, safety guards. We went down from the

We are going to the Assembly

main protocol entrance. We got in the same car with Abdulhamit Gül While we were in the car, we heard a big noise. A bomb was dropped. I don’t know whether it was a noise bomb or sonic bomb. I heard a very loud noise. We got off the car, entered Çankaya Palace again.

Then left it and got in the car again.

It was very dark. Electricity was cut everywhere. We are going with the lights of the car.

July 15, Prime Ministry Mansion I am on my way to GNAT , I am opening the GNAT We will stand tall till our last breath. Our life should be sacrificed for this country

There were 30-35 vehicles. We were following the car of İsmail 16 July 2016 Kahraman; the car of İsmail Kahraman, at the back his guard and we. We came to the Guvenlik gate. Busses were in front of it. We entered. Guards took the Speaker of Parliament and brought 2 vehicles, Speaker of Parliament took one, and we took the other…

All Deputies to the Assembly! İstanbul Deputy Mehmet Muş has learned the coup by a phone coming from İstanbul and came to Çankaya Mansion before the Assembly: I went to Çankaya Mansion when I heard about the attempt. We made an evaluation.

Then I get in contact with the Presidency. Our President demanded from us to invite people on streets.

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I called Mustafa Ataş, Vice Chairman responsible from Organizations, and told him to send SMS through Turkey. Then I called our President and negotiated to go to the GNAT and decided to go.

I talked with CHP Deputy Floor Leader Engin Altay and MHP Deputy Floor The day is the day for protecting democracy Leader Erkan Akçay. They told me that they would 16 July 2016 be at the Assembly. Then O called Group Vice Chairman Mustafa Özkan and stated that all deputies should come to the Assembly..

AK PARTY Group Deputy Chief Mustafa Özkan: Deputy Floor Leader Mehmet MUŞ has called me at 00.00 p.m. and stated that they are at a meeting at the Çankaya Mansion and demanded from me to send a SMS about that deputies in Ankara should come to the GNAT immediately. At 00.04 16 July 2016 a.m. messages were sent and For the attention of all received. deptuies, all deputies should have to come to Ankara.

Those who are near Ankara should come to the Assembly

We are meeting at the Assembly

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We send the message , yes. Mehmet MUŞ said us to

Attension of the gruop; all deputıes were called immediately to the GNAT.

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Call Everyone in Marmaris to the Streets!

While Mehmet Muş was going to the Çankaya Mansion, he talked with Minister of Energy Berat Albayrak.

MEHMET MUŞ - I called the Minister of Energy NECDET ÜNÜVAR: Could you reach him?

MEHMET MUŞ - Yes. NECDET ÜNÜVAR: He was with our President.

MEHMET MUŞ - Yes. I said “here is something wrong. I am going to Çankaya.

I invite everyone to protect democracy.today is the day we should gather and protect our future and our country

The ones who can, should go to Marmaris to be with our president

Invite everyone to streets in Marmaris

16 July 2016

He said ok and added “call everyone in Marmaris on streets. I called the Muğla deputy Nihat Öztürk.

Lam on my way to the Provincial group I took my wife with me . We invite eveyone on streets in Marmaris

At the hotel

In Marmaris

Nihat Öztürk said “I am going to Marmaris.

He was in Muğla I think. I am on my way. I am talking with my colleagues. We invite everyone on streets. I said ok.

16 July 2016

To protect democracy and be with the President to Marmaris

Shall we come to the GNAT

I am with the President

16 July 2016

I invite all my friends in front of Turban hotel

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We are here in Marmaris for protecting democracy

We thank the nation who protect democracy

Deputies in Ankara and at the Assembly or in another city had same ideas about opening the Assembly.

I think opening the Assembly will be a strategic step

Let’s gather the Assembly at night

Most of the deputies were at home.

Most of them thought it was a practice or a measure against terror. When the coup concern increased, fast telephone traffic and a long night started for each deputy.

Speaker of Parliament should call the Assembly for meeting

AK PARTY Deputy Floor Leader Aksaray Deputy İlknur İnceöz was on her way to Aksaray and talked with Executive Assistant of our President when she learned it İlknur İnceöz:

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At 09.00 p.m. my advisor Mrs. Fatma called me and said “Bosphoros Bridge (Boğaziçi) is closed to traffic single sided by soldiers. We have speculations Dear deputies what is the importance of our lives in about a coup attempt.” After when order to protect our land?

Mr. Engin called and stated the same things I called the executive assistant of President Hasan Doğan. When he answered it immediately I was clear. Hasan Doğan said “Yes this is a coup attempt

That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

we have to make our voice heard.”

I said “I am not asking where our President is but is he good?” He said that our President is good. After thinking a while where to go, I decided that the best place is the GNAT and came.

I didn’t face any problem while coming to the Assembly on the way and entered

We will be against this coup and be with our nation

16 July 2016

First statements of İlknur İnceöz

We will be against this coup and be with our nation

15 July 2016

Bozdağ had learned the betrayal from the phone of Undersecretary Kenan İpek.

Bekir Bozdağ: I was alone at home that night. My wife and children were in Yozgat for feast. Only my elder son was in Ankara. My undersecretary Kenan İpek called. He said “There is a movement. Planes are flying very low; tanks are seen on the bridge.” I called first Minister of Interior and then MIT undersecretary but couldn’t speak. After these two calls I talked with our Prime Minister.

I will shoot if anyone is against

I left home with my son and got in my private car. I called my press advisor Bilal Çetin.

I asked him to connect me on televisions. First I wanted to be on TRT but we learned that it was occupied by coup plotters. I was connected to Kanal 24 TV on 11.14 p.m.

Ministry of Justice Undersecretary Kenan İpek , gave another important information to Minister Of Justice Bekir Bozdağ: We decided to follow this with Minister of Justice Undersecretary Kenan İpek at the Palace. Fahri Kasırga (Presidency General Secretary) would be with us.

Kenan İpek would take Fahri Kasırga and come. I learned that coup plotters took Fahri Kasırga in front of the eyes of Kenan İpek. Kenan İpek sees that Fahri Kasırga was taken while approaching with a car.

15 July 2016

3)Our goverment, Prime Minister and all of our deputies also our military forces are taking every precantion and will be.

15 July 2016

2)Turkish nation is against the coup attempt. It protects the democracy.

15 July 2016

1) This coup attempt will be avoided with the help of God.

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I went to the office of Halil Özyolcu, former Ağrı Deputy, in Balgat. I called AK PARTY Kırıkkale Deputy Ramazan Can and invited him here.

Kırıkkale deputy Ramazan Can, Minister of Justice Bekir Bozdağ met and they came to the Assembly with the car of former Ağrı deputy Halil Özkalyoncu: We met with our minister. Minister said that we have to go to Kızılay immediately and be with the citizens. I told him that we had to go somewhere quiet and make an evaluation. We went to the law office of 22th Period Ağrı Deputy Halil Özkalyoncu. We charged our phone here.

At that time our minister of Justice Bekir Bozdağ made calls with Prime Minister, Ministers, President of Religious Affairs and Governors.

We came to the GNAT with the car of Halil Özkalyoncu.

On behalf of democracy, Tayyip Erdoğan will not hold out on to the plotters we wait everyone to Cumhuriyet Square.

Ramazan Can Kırıkkale Deputy

On behalf of democracy, Tayyip Erdoğan will not hold out on to the plotters we wait everyone to Cumhuriyet Square.

Ramazan Can Kırıkkale Deputy

One of the ministers at the Assembly was Süleyman Soylu: While talking about democracy and Turkey with young people from Hakkari, I learned it from the phone of Social Security Institution President Selim Bağlı. I was confused. I ended the meeting immediately. Young people wanted to take a photo.

That moment was like hours… I talked with Abdulhamit Gül. I said “this is a coup.”

I called the Prime Minister. He said with a calm voice “this is ridiculous.” I said “this is a coup” What is your order? He said “call your minister collegues and go to the Prime Ministry. I went to the Prime Ministry… e talked with the prime minister and minister of energy Berat Albayrak who was with our President

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…We gave a quick decision there. We thought that we have to go to the GNAT and open it. Planes were disturbing the GNAT. Since tanks were at main roads, we went to the Assembly from byroads.

The national will and our democracy is our honor against every attempt. God bless Turkish Democracy 15 July 2016

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A Very Special Guest…

CHP Headquarters was one of the busiest places that night.

CHP Deputy Floor Leader and Ankara Deputy Levent Gök had a very special guest that day. His 40 days old grandchild came with his mother and father. First he left them home and then came to CHP Headquarters and then Assembly.

Levent Gök: That night at 09.00 p.m. my daughter, her husband and my 40 days old grandchild came to visit me.

We planned to spend the night together. At about 09.50 p.m. phone calls came from Ankara and İstanbul about the extraordinary situation. First, we thought that it could be a terror attack.

Levent Gök knew that he cannot reach leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu because he was on plane from Ankara to İstanbul. He called Tekin Bingöl. …While we were experiencing these events, Our leader was flying to İstanbul.

I called our vice chairman responsible from the organization Tekin Bingöl and said “We have to go to the Assembly immediately. There is an action. We have to find out what it is. I don’t see the situation good. This can be a coup attempt.”

We have to go to the Assembly immediately. There is an action.

Tekin Bingöl came to the Headquarters as soon as he learned the news: I went to the headquarter as soon as I learned the news. We decided to meet at the headquarter with our vice chairmen and deputies in order to make an evaluation. We didn’t know the sizes of the event but I was aware of the danger as having experienced a coup before. I tried not to show my family how serious the situation was but my little son wouldn’t send me alone and came with me. I was very emotional when he said “whatever will happen may happen with you.” I was very proud of him.

Levent Gök tried not show his emotions but informed his son in law: We met at the headquarter. My house is very close. I didn’t say anything to my family.

I only said to my son in law that: I don’t see the situation well. I see them as signs for a coup. I don’t know what will happen till the morning. Look after my family. …Nearly 10-15 deputies were there.

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Our headquarter is in front of the Presidency Palace and we saw the planes and helicopters on the Palace.

First I called Mustafa Elitaş (AK PARTY Deputy Floor Leader). Elitaş was in Kayseri. I said: this is a coup.

Know that Presidency palace is We have to be together today, we have to protect the national will under fire. We talked with him many times. I called Ayşe Nur 16 July 2016 Bahçekapılı and Naci Bostancı.. I said “Look, this is a bad night. We are against at such a terrible scene as CHP. We will do together what is ever it takes.

Then Elitaş called me. He asked “Speaker of Parliament will open the Assembly.

Will you go?” I said “yes immediately we will go.” We went to the Assembly as 16-17 persons.

At that time they decided to go to the Assembly with deputies at the CHP Headquarters.

Tekin Bingöl: After our meeting at the headquarter, we decided to go to the GNAT by making idea exchanges with our leader. The GNAT is the most important institution in which the national will is represented. It is the foundation stone of Republic. We are people responsible to protect the dignity and existence of this institution.

While we were going to the GNAT, bullet voices were increasing. Safety guards were holding the entrances of the GNAT and controlling the entrances and exits but we passed to the plenary hall with no problem.

Let Me Give a Kiss of Democracy Speaker of Parliament was very pleased that CHP deputies were also coming.

Levent Gök:

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When we went İsmail Kahraman was sitting at the desk, he gave me a hug. Other colleagues of us came also

Özgür Özel: When we came in Speaker of Parliament said “Let me give you a democracy kiss.” It was a very meaningful moment. I cannot

Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman welcomed the deputy with a kiss

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forget it. We had some conflicts with him so far. He said “Come and make peace with a democracy kiss.” He kissed, gave me a hug. Then we sat down.

CHP Deputy Floor Leader Manisa Deputy Özgür had a different plan. He would go to Bursa for an good event. While he was parking his car, he noticed the jets flying low. Özgür Özel: My wife is from Bursa... She has a brother. I would go to Bursa for his affiance.

We have a common1973 model yellow Volkswagen with Aykut Erdoğdu and Veli Ağbaba. I took it. We drank tea and coffee. Then it was about half past nine. A jet passed while I was parking. Then another. I thought they have training. Then another again. I thought “Couldn’t they find another place to fly” I went to the guest house and changed my clothes.

Phones coming from two important journalists were thinking the same about the jets. Özgür Özel: We think about terror. It is interesting two calls came. Mrs. Rengin from BBC stated that two jets are in the air field, maybe an ISIS attack can happen to targets in Ankara and İstanbul even to Anıtkabir.

After certain minutes Reuter’s journalist stated: did you hear something about ISIS? They both were saying that the jets were flying to protect Ankara.

After ten minutes, phone calls came, journalists are calling.

But a call coming from İstanbul reinforces that the movement is a coup attempt. Özgür Özel: Phone calls came. A deputy from İstanbul, Gamze Akkuş İlgezdi, her husband is Ataşehir Mayor, stated that “A coup is happening.” Coup? I asked. She stated “my husband has been informed by İstanbul Municipality. Coup plotters try to enter here. They occupied the İstanbul Municipality.” I asked if there was anything. She said no? They say it is a coup. There are tanks in İstanbul. Jets are flying here. I called Tekin Bingöl. He said this is nonsense. We decided to meet at the headquarter. I took my Volkswagen and went..

We will Die for a 20 Thousand Lira Car! The arrival of Özgür Özel to the Assembly was adventurous.

We went as 3-4 cars with Aykut Erdoğdu.

It was passing twelve.

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We saw people with flag in their hands coming down from Dikmen towards the Assembly. But there are people running away as we came. Then we had to leave the car. I was trying to park the car -the car of us three- correctly. He said “leave it. For a 20 thousand TL car we will die here.” …We entered the Assembly from the Dikmen gate. There were some with long guns. They looked at us and we looked at them; at first we were afraid. Then they said welcome President. We understood that they were police.

Democracy is essential. We try to go to GNAT

16 July 2016

Nobody Can Ruin Our National Unity and Solidarity!

MHP was one of the first parties taking action against the coup attempt. MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli was at the headquarter and made a phone call with the Prime minister. Group Vice Chairman Manisa Deputy Erkan Akçay took action as soon as he was informed.

Erkan Akçay: It was gaining attention that jet planes were making low flight at Balgat on July 15 at 10.00 p.m. at first I hadn’t got any negative intention but when it continued it raised suspicion. When it was clear that there was an attempt, I went to the Headquarters. I negotiated with our leader and then we decided to go to the GNAT and stand against this attempt with the other deputies.

Our leader Devlet Bahçeli had called Prime Minister and stated that he was with the government and state against this attempt and this statement was broad casted on televisions. Upon the order of our leader, I talked with AK PARTY and CHP Group Vice Chairman and Speaker of Parliament and went to the GNAT.

We are against every kind of coup

60 Devlet Bahçeli called the Prime Minister

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Nationalist Movement Party Leader (MHP) Devlet Bahçeli Press Release

Turkish Republic is against an extraordinary situation.

It is claimed that a group of soldiers within Turkish Armed Forces want to take the power by military intervention. Suspending democracy, avoiding national will is a very big mistake.

Turkey has experienced many coups in its history. Turkish nation has faced the bad results of the coups. Now our country is within a crisis and uncertainty.

Everyone should know that compromise in democracy means disengagement from future and liberty.

Nationalist Movement Party is against all kind of attitude except democracy.

If Turkey has civil war and chaos, the cost will be high and expensive. It is a must to stand against to all kind of intervention which can ruin our national unity and sovereignty. Any attempt won’t be accepted.

I wish that the ones who are making this attempt should give in as soon as possible.

Our nation should be discreet and calm. Calling the nation on streets, entering into a fight stands as a possible danger in front of us.

It won’t be thought that the Nationalist-Idealist Movement will go on streets and serve for an civil war. Any of my colleagues won’t be the part of this black side.

Nationalist movement party will follow that process carefully and with a loyalty to democracy. Everyone should be sure that Turkish nation will come over this crisis.

Nobody will have the power to ruin our unity and solidarity.

Source:

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Another MHP deputy who acted in the same way was Antalya Deputy Mehmet Günal: MHP is beside democracy and accepts nationalism and democracy as brothers. The most important institutions of democracy are the political parties and Assembly.

We were at the headquarter in the first minutes and in connection with our leader and members.

Dear Devlet Bahçeli has made his statement which supported democracy.

He called the Prime Minister and stated that we are against every kind of coup and support the government.

We are sure you will stand by nations will.

16 July 2016

Nobody has the power to ruin our unity and sovereignty MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli

16 July 2016

The first statement was made by our leader and prime minister talked with the executive assistant and stated his support to prime Minister Binali Yıldırım

Mehmet Günal has given the answer to the message of Minister of Youth and Sports Akif Çağatay Kılıç “We are on duty. We will overcome this together. We will be beside the democracy and national will of our nation.”

Upon the invitation of the Specker of Assembly, we have been told to be at the Assembly. Our Group Vice Chairman and 10 deputies went to the Assembly.

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Photo: Mehmet Günal (From right; Mustafa Kalaycı, Mehmet Günal, Atila Kaya, Ruhi Ersoy, Eyüp Yıldız)

MHP Osmaniye Deputy Ruhi Ersoy: When I learned that there was a coup attempt I went to the Headquarters. Our leader sent all the deputies coming the Headquarters to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey upon the call of the Speaker of Parliament.

16 July

As our leader stated, avoiding democracy means disengagement from freedom

MHP group is at the GNAT

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We were going to the GNAT with a few cars. The Dikmen gate of the Assembly was closed with busses. They let us in beside the busses

Most of the deputies were at home but there were some who were outside.

AK PARTY Şanlıurfa Deputy Mehmet Kasım Gülpınar: At 10.30-11.00 p.m. we were at a visit and learned the situation from phone. We weren’t watching television at that moment. We were sitting in the garden and there wasn’t any movement. It was a great shock for us. While we were thinking what to do, I learned that deputies were going to the Assembly. I said goodbye to the children and asked my friend to take me to the Assembly.

CHP İstanbul Deputy Mahmut Tanal: I was at dinner when I learned it. The first think I thought was to go to the Assembly.

I decided to go to the Assembly since I could guess the damage and in order to stand against their attempt. I thought to protect the Assembly because this nation selected me for this. I went to the Assembly.

CHP Zonguldak Deputy Ünal Demirtaş: I learned about the coup attempt at 09.35 p.m. at the terrace of my house in Ankara Bahçelievler. I thought that the coup will give a big damage to Turkey. I came to the Assembly upon the order of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu at about 24.00, the front of the Assembly was closed with vehicles. Despite the negative reactions of some citizens, police officers showed me the way and I entered the Assembly with my car.

Down With the Fetullah Coup Attempt!

AK PARTY İzmir Deputy Hüseyin Kocabıyık has learned the coup attempt from Minister of Labor Süleyman Soylu:

We will win against the coups

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15 July 2016

At about 09.30 p.m. Minister of Labor and Social Security called me. “They closed the Bosphoros Bridge (Boğaziçi). F16 make low flying?” I didn’t know anything. I said: If this is made in the chain of command, this

That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

is a military coup; if there is no chain of command this is a Fetullah coup. In both situations, what to do is obvious. President should go somewhere safe and take the command authority as the commander. Second, citizens should surround GNAT. Party organization should provide this. …This is a coup attempt. We need a headquarter for fighting, this is the Assembly. We have to go and open the Assembly and start to work. In 1981 fascist Franko officers in Spain and some deputies were resisting and this is why Spanish democracy has been formed.

So we have to go to the Assembly.

The El Pais is Supporting the Constitution slogan of the El Pais Newspaper on February 23, 1981 was an important resistance against the coup.

Down With Fetullah Coup Attempt!

Adıyaman Deputy Adnan Boynukara realized that the event was a Fetullah coup attempt and reacted early:

Down With The Fetullah Coup Attempt

15 July 2016

I was in the garden of one of my friends in Ankara and when I heard that war planes were making low flight I felt that something was going wrong. After phone calls I understood that this was a coup attempt. In order to share this with the public I tweeted by using a photo of our President and stated “DOWN WITH THE FETULLAH COUP ATTEMPT” …One of the best ways of avoiding a coup is to hold the GNAT open.

When the message from the group management “gather at the GNAT” came, I went to the Assembly.

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If We Cannot Enter Here Today, When Will We Protect the Assembly?

There were deputies who learned the coup attempt at a concert. CHP Artvin Deputy tells his experience:

if we cannot enter here today, when will we?

I learned it while we were listening to Erol Evgin with CHP Vice Chairman Aydın Deputy Bülent Tezcan and the GNAT Chief CHP Çorum Deputy Tufan Köse at the 20th Year Foundation Celebrations of Atılım University. First we thought that the news weren’t true. After we understand the seriousness, we left the concert area. As three deputies (Uğur Bayraktutan, Tufan Köse, Bülent Tezcan) we went to the Assembly by thinking that the best thing to do was going to the Assembly.

We are protecting democracy at the Plenary

16 July 2016

They were reacting when the police stated that they cannot ender.

Uğur Bayraktutan: When we arrived at the GNAT, we saw that the lights were turned off. We came to the Çankaya gate of the GNAT. But polices said “there is a certain order. We cannot let you in. Assembly Chief intervened. We entered by saying“… This is our home, if we cannot enter here today, when will we, when will we protect the Assembly.

At the same time, Ankara deputy Emrullah İşler was also outside. He was at the wedding of his niece and learned the coup attempt from Manisa deputy Selçuk Özdağ on the phone. İşler took action immediately and met with Selçuk Özdağ at the Çankaya Mansion.

Emrullah İşler:

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At 10.00 p.m. I learned it from Manisa Deputy Selçuk Özdağ. I was at the wedding of my niece and it was noisy. I called a friend by going outside. He stated that he was ill and doesn’t know anything about it. After a while I called him again. He learned what was happening. He said “It is a coup attempt, I am going on duty.” At 10.30 p.m. I learned about the coup attempt. I called our Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım and he said “this is an attempt, we will avoid it.” He said that he is well. Then I asked about the President. He said there is nothing to worry about. Upon his order I went to Çankaya Mansion.

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…We took two decisions at the Mansion. First opening the Assembly, second calling people in Ankara on streets. Speaker of Parliament Everybody to the streets notified the Prime Minister about To protect democracy these two decisions. As a result 16 July 2016 of the decisions we went to the Assembly..

Let’s look at what AK PARTY Manisa Deputy Selçuk Özdağ says about that night: At 09.30 p.m. while I was at home I learned that a coup attempt was happening.

I knew what a coup means as I experienced the September 12, 1980 coup. I had faced 38 days torture, spent 1 year in prison cells, judged at coup courts and spent 7 years in prison. I called AK PARTY General Secretary Abdulhamit Gül, Gaziantep Deputy Şamil Tayyar, Ankara Deputy Emrullah İşler, Sakarya Deputy Ayhan Sefer Üstün and some Ministers stated that we had to gather at the Headquarters or Mansion. I called Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım but he didn’t answer. After a few minutes he called back. I said “There is a coup attempt.” I have also heard something, they will make some madness, he said. I stated “Dear Prime Minister please make an explanation.” I asked whether he could talk with The Chief of the General Staff. He said that he couldn’t reach him. I asked whether he could reach the second Chief of the General Staff and he said no. I said “Dear Prime Minister make a statement. I will go to Çankaya mansion. Tell your friends. If they come to the Assembly we will create a road map. I went to the Çankaya mansion. Mehmet Muş has stated that, “Selçuk call Muğla organization, they should go to Marmaris. We have to protect the President. I said “Mehmet call the organization, give the order. I will call my old friends.” I called the Idealist Fighter friends in Muğla. I said go to Marmaris and protect the President. They immediately took action. I said let’s reach Bahçeli and Kılıçdaroğlu. I talked with CHP Deputy Floor Leader Engin Altay. He talked with Kılıçdaroğlu and stated “We are against a coup. We are with the elected government and President. We will protect the GNAT legislation.” We went to the GNAT.

Selçuk Özdağ informed AK PARTY Ankara Deputy Nevzat Ceylan: At about 10.00 p.m. Manisa deputy Selçuk Özdağ called. He asked me whether I know or not. I said that I heard something.

I moved to the GNAT building. After staying at the GNAT for a while, Minister of

…We took two decisions at the Mansion. First opening the Assembly, second calling people in Ankara on streets.

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That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

Labor and Social Security Süleyman Soylu called and asked me to go to the Security General Directorate of Intelligence and follow the developments.

I went there. The building was dark. Nearly all the officers were in the garden. Vice Coup Notice was read

by Tijen Karataş with force on TRT.

head of department welcomed me. I asked the head of department. He was gone to TRT in order to stop the occupation there.

It was demanded that the citizens should go to Security General Directorate, General Staff, TRT, MIT, Gölbaşı Special Forces, Güvercinlik Army Aviation. I was notifying this information to Süleyman Soylu.

Since Security Intelligence Chamber 16 July 2016

I condemn the attack and the attackers. They won’t succeed. Our nation will give the necessary lesson. 16 July will be the date of protecing democracy and reborn.

was at a top point, the planes and helicopters were seen clearly.

We saw the bombs. It was very attractive that sela voices came during the bombs were dropped. At 01.17 a.m. I made the post aside on

Hope god will Grant us too.

Facebook and Twitter.

Süleyman Soylu had gone to TRT: I said that we have to go to TRT and we can take TRT back.

We went to TRT with Hüseyin Kocabıyık and Abdülkadir Emin Önen. At that time we heard the shahada news of Erol Olçok.

I had never been so calm in my life. I turned to Kocabıyık and Emin Önen and said “Wish God gives us the same chance.”

AK PARTY Mardin Deputy Orhan Miroğlu had the same experience of Selçuk Özdağ in Diyarbakır. He had faced torture for months in the September 12 coup. He knew what a coup meant. He was sure to come to the Assembly.

Exit of Süleyman Soylu in order to go to TRT.

Orhan Miroğlu: I was at home. The action at the Bosphoros Bridge (Boğaziçi) wasn’t normal. A short while after I recognized that this was a coup attempt. We had fast message traffic.

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I can say that everyone was thinking about protecting the Assembly. The most important place which should be protected by a deputy was the Assembly of course. So it wasn’t so difficult to agree upon going to the Assembly.

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There wasn’t any problem while going down to Dikmen. But at the gate I had a problem. My guard and nieces weren’t allowed to get in. My daughter Hiwa Miroğlu didn’t want me to go alone. They even didn’t let her in. They were shooting from direction of general staff.

We are at the Assembly. Where are you?

Where are the ones at the Assembly?

At the group side I am coming from Çetin Emeç

We are coming to the Assembly

We are at the Assembly Friends We are at the Ak party group

General staff jointFotoğraf: - 15 July TBMM 2016 Arşivi

The driver of a vehicle which was told to carry a deputy drove the car on us. We would be crushed if we hadn’t moved. We ran to the Assembly. My wife Canan and disabled son Zerdeşt were at home. I and her sister Hiwa were at the Assembly. That night Zerdeşt didn’t sleep before I came. He had waited the whole night in his wheel chair.

General Staff joint

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This is a Matter of Honor!

Orhan Miroğlu left his disabled son at home. Another name who left his ill child at home was Adıyaman Deputy İbrahim Halil Fırat:

People are on street, we are at GNAT. Nobody should have any doubt, we are protecting the democracy.

16 July 2016

This is a Point of Honor!

I was at home… my advisor called me and I learned the coup attempt from him. This is a point of honor I said and stated to my advisor “We will go to the Assembly immediately” my daughter was ill that night. She had 40 degrees fewer, I came to the Assembly by leaving them at home

Many deputies learned the coup attempt from their friends or children on phone. AK PARTY Ankara Deputy and Justice Commission Chairman Ahmet İyimaya learned it from his daughter.

Ahmet İyimaya: I learned the coup attempt at 09.00 p.m. with the phone calls of two journalists and my daughter and niece.

My first reaction was “This can’t be true. This is madness.” I decided to go to the Assembly and went. Since I went early I had no difficulties. The Dikmen entrance gate was closed with big vehicles. I entered easily.

The nation will protect its will. All parties are protecting.

16 July 2016

Father Wake Up! They are Under Taking a Coup, While you are Sleeping Like Ahmet İyimaya another deputy who learned the coup attempt from his daughter was Alpaslan Kavaklıoğlu but in a different way…

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That day I was at hospital due to my health problems. We came home. I had my dinner, performed my prayer and felt asleep. It was 10.00 p.m. My daughter waked me up and said with joke “Father wake up, you are sleeping they are making a coup.” I looked at my phone. There were 17 missed calls. Since I was the

That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

Prime ministry Safety General Director and the former Local Authority, friends were calling me. Some friends informed me.

I am also the deputy general secretary in the party. I thought that I had to go to the party. I directed my friends who called We are meeting at the Assembly me to the Party. But it decided that going to the Assembly will be more appropriate and I decided to go to the Assembly. I directed the ones who called me to the Assembly.

My wife and children were at home. They were happy when I said come and we will go together. We went to the Assembly with the car of my wife.

There were deputies who were informed by their sons. For example Manisa Deputy İsmail Bilen…

It was about 10.00-10.30 p.m. I was at home with my wife and daughters. My son Serdar Burak called me. He said that a coup attempt was happening. I saw that the Bosphoros Bridge (Boğaziçi) was closed by juntas. I thought that I had to go to the GNAT and it should be open. At that time my son came

We are at the democracy watch with my son at the Assembly.

This can’t be true.

This is madness.

home, we went to the Assembly.

Another deputy who came to the Assembly with his son was MHP İzmir Deputy Oktay Vural:

16 July 2016

I was at home that night. Journalists that were calling me were asking “what is happening?” everyone tried to understand what was happening. I was trying to get information. I shared the information with the Headquarters private secretary.

During these communications, I learned that our leader was there. I decided to go to MHP center. My children didn’t let me go alone. We went to MHP Headquarters together.

Our leader came to the Headquarters and made evaluations. He showed his reaction against the coup and called the Prime Minister. He took into account that the main target of this coup attempt was democracy and showed his support to the Government. The national political block which was formed against that coup mentality was this intervention.

We decided to go to the GNAT with our deputy friends at the Party Headquarters.

My children wanted to come with me. While my little son Yavuz was with me, I sent my elder son Oğuz home with my guard to bring what could be necessary for me.

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Bolu deputy Ali Ercoşkun has learned the news from his son in İstanbul and went to the Assembly with the car of his daughter: I learned the coup attempt when my son called his mother and said there are We are at the Ak Party Group tanks at the Bosphoros Bridge (Boğaziçi).

Since the gun and nearly 10 boxes of bullets were in the car, I told him to come because we might need the gun. I took the keys of my daughter’s car and left home by only saying goodbye.

The Dikmen gate of the Assembly was closed. Police said that the entrance was forbidden. I told the police to open it. They said that they couldn't since they received an order from their seniors. I shouted many times who gave you this order and hold my gun. I shouted “Nobody can forbid to enter the Assembly and stated to the driver “Go, if necessary run over.”

Konya Deputy Halil Eryemez got the news at Keçiören. He was on the way for going to the general staff but decided to go to the GNAT. …We were on the way of Keçiören AK PARTY Provincial Building. We decided to go to the airport even if our President may come and some of us to Kızılay in front of the General Staff. …We said our goodbye’s with our provincial director and citizens. Then I called Ahmet Gündoğdu. I asked where he was. He said that he was at the GNAT and the deputies should come here. Then we went to the GNAT.

Assembly Chief AK PARTY Çorum Deputy Salim Uslu had come to the Assembly early and left and then turned back: I came to the Assembly at10.00 p.m. with my private vehicle. While I was entering Çankaya, I felt an abnormality. Police were told that there is a practice; but they realized that there were gun voices at the General Staff. Then I called Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman. …Then I left from the Dikmen gate in order to go to the airport. (In order to go to Ordu.)

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…It wasn’t normal that there were so many ambulances in front of the General Staff and on the Eskişehir road. Then I tried to reach some Ministers, Deputy Ministers, and Undersecretaries. I reached a senior authority from Minister of National Defense. He said that there was an abnormality but he didn’t know the details.

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…At the airport there were Şanlıurfa Deputy Mehmet Ali Cevheri and Ordu Deputy Metin Gündoğdu with whom we would like to go together.

We met Minister of Interior Efkan Ala who came from Erzurum. I now knew what was happening. …Then I wanted to go to the GNAT upon the call of Speaker of Parliament. We had difficulties while coming to the Assembly.

This is the job of a parallel gang. We call everyone to protect democracy.

16 July 2016

I entered the Assembly by walking from Ayrancı gate..

While Efkan Ala was flying from Erzurum to Ankara, another name who was calling him but could not reach was AK PARTY Vice Chairman and İstanbul Deputy Mehmet Mehdi Eker: I called Efkan Ala but could not reach him. He was in the plane. I called Bekir Bozdağ.

I tried to reach our Prime Minister. Then I reached Hakan Fidan. He told me that there is a problem. I asked what was happening. He said that “they are forcing us” but didn’t say that it was a coup. When I asked who, he said that the parallels within the air and gendarmerie took action. His voice was bad. He said that" there is a big problem and hang up. We immediately communicated with İsmail Kahraman.

During the coup attempt CHP Eskişehir Deputy Utku Çakırözer was at dinner outside: I was at dinner in Ankara. A short time passed while we understood what was happening. First we thought that it was a terror alarm. Then we were suspicious about a coup attempt. I called one of our party managers. He stated that he is at the Assembly with some deputies. Then I went to the Assembly. Some roads were closed. There were extraordinary measures at the gate of the Assembly. We couldn’t enter from the Dikmen and Ayrancı gates. We could enter from the Ayrancı gates.

CHP deputies at Plenary

16 July 2016

Another deputy who learned the coup attempt at a dinner was Kahramanmaraş Deputy Mehmet İlker Çitil. He was sure about going to the Assembly but he had a doctor suspicion: After having dinner with a group of 7-8 friends, we were sitting in a café and

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drinking tea. At this time I didn’t know anything. Deputy Undersecretary called us and informed us about the coup. …Upon this the café with nearly 500 people was empty instantly. Only we were left. Then our undersecretary invited us to Gölbaşı where he stayed with our guests. We went to Gölbaşı.

A message came for going to the Assembly

…Then a message came from the Assembly. But we thought that the message system might be controlled by the coup plotters.

Is the message correct

…But I was called and I had to be there; I went to the Assembly despite the helicopters and planes flying above us.

Yes we sent it

We are at GNAT with the Speaker of Parliament and deputies.

We will go to the Assembly but it is forbidden at that part 16 July 2016

Who are the Ones Inside?

While Bursa Deputy Hakan Çavuşoğlu was entering the Assembly he had the same concerns like İlker Çitil: I was following the Whatsapp group of our deputies. I went to the Headquarters. I saw that nobody was there. Then I returned back home. I thought that I had to go to the Assembly and went.

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I said to the police" I am a deputy and will enter the Assembly". Police officer said that entrance was forbidden. I stated "I am a deputy and nobody can prevent me going in". Then the police officer said that he would get permission from inside.

I thought who were inside. After a while, police officer came and stated that my advisor can't enter. My concerns increased.

I didn’t know who was inside. Were the

Is the police involved I am at the Assembly group

Can we trust I am going to the Assembly

I entered from Dikmen

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police officers within the coup attempt? Was I going to give in on my own? While searching for answers I came to the gate number 1 and got out of my car. When the police officers welcomed us politely I understood that they were patriots

Not only at the Assembly entrance but also at the roads there was tension. Kilis Deputy Mustafa Hilmi Dülger underlined the panic.

At the phone call I made with Grand National Assembly of Turkey Internal Affairs Commission Chairman Celalletin Güvenç, he said that he went to the Security General Directorate and there were a crisis table and he was going to the Assembly. He mentioned that the Dikmen gate of the Assembly was open and I could also use it.

I was going to the Assembly with my car. There was panic on the roads and planes were flying low. I saw people rows before some open markets and ATMs.

We are at the GNAT for democracy watch

16 July 2016

Gaziantep Deputy Abdülkadir Yüksel thought of the past when he learned the situation. First he was afraid but when he saw the nation, he consoled himself:

Today the nation was not like the past sitting at their home.

After I got the news, first I thought about my mother who told me that my dad was taken by soldiers on the May 27 coup. My life flashes before my eyes. Today the nation was not like the past sitting at their home mourning for their leader.

One of the deputies at the Assembly was the Konya Deputy Leyla Şahin Usta who was the February 28 coup postmodern victim: At 09.00 p.m., I learned it at home in Ankara. I thought that I had to go out. I sent from whatsapp to my friends that “take your flags and go on streets.” I said goodbye to my children and went on the streets.

First I decided to go to AK PARTY Headquarters, because I thought that the first target of the coup was AK PARTY and our President. I went to the Headquarters, citizens were coming. We decided there to go to the Assembly with the deputies and I went to the Assembly.

This is unity day. AK PARTY, MHP, CHP is protecting democracy.

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It's quite here at the Headquarter I am going to the Assembly 16 July 2016

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Konya deputy Hülya Nergis was sitting in a café with her assisstant. She thought that it was a practice but when she learned that it was a coup attemtp, she decided to go to the Assembly.

At the July 15 night, I was sitting in a café with my assisstant. At about 10.10 p.m., planes started to pass. My assisstant was concerned. She asked me what was happening. I made a square with my fingers and stated “If we accept this as a Turkey map Ankara is in the middle. We are in the middle of Turkey, so much enemy planes cannot come here. This is a practice or training.” Then we came home. At about 10.30 p.m. my advisor called me and said “It is talked that a coup is hapenning, if you are home can I come? We can talk.” We went to the GNAT. The roads were empty and calm. They didn’t let us in with the car. Only safety guards were there.

Women Deputies Attracted Attention With Their Works That Day That day woman deputies gained attention not only with their existence but also with their works. Düzce Deputy Ayşe Keşir was one of them. She made a Face Time broadcast with CNN Turk and announced the coup to the world. She also learned the coup from the social media.

We are protecting democracy

16 July 2016

I am going to the headquarter

To the Assembly

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To the Assembly

I saw on social media that the Bosphoros Bridge (Boğaziçi) was closed single sided. We are alone at home with my daughter. My middle daughter was outside. I called her home. At that time I was ready.

I was ready to go and not come back. I didn’t say it to the children like that. Only I asked the middle one: “How much cash money do you have?” Even if I go and cannot come back.

I left some cash money and said goodbye.

I send a message to the party group. “I am going to the Headquarters.” But when I got in the car I saw a message “We are going to the Assembly.” I went to the Assembly. I went there comfortable from Çetin Emeç boulevard.

It was an early hour before everything got intense.

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Since there was no television broadcast, another deputy who made her own broadcast was Trabzon deputy Ayşe Sula Köseoglu: Since Assembly TV was not working, Ayşe Keşir connected to CNN Turk with her phone.

I made live broadcast from Periscope. Two times we tried to broadcast these speeches there.

We will protect our democracy!

We will protect national will !

Protect our President!

Till our last breath...!

15 July 2016

Ayşe Sula Köseoglu's Periscope Broad cast

AK PARTY Headquarters Woman Branches President Lütfiye Selva Çam, her husband and sons were on the way of Assembly. She was inviting all the Woman Branch Chairs and organizations to the Assembly..

We learned it at Golbası, at the house of my mother. When we called Anadolu Agency General Manager Senol Kazanci, we learned that a group of junta related to FETO (F. Gülenist Terrorist Organization/The Parallel State Structure (PSS)) were making a coup attempt and General Staff Hulusi Akar was interned by coup plotters. Then I called the executive assistant of our President Dr. Hasan Doğan and executive assistant of our Prime Minister Abdülkerim Taş. While we were talking we were afraid with a big bomb. Special Forces Gölbaşı was bombed.

We performed our ablution and went to the GNAT. While they were using WhatsApp in order to realize their traitor aims, we were using the same social network. As the Woman Branches Presidency, most of the managers in 81 cities were at the provincial directorates and waited for the order of our President.. …We made telephone traffic and said that they should be calm and should be ready for reaction action.

Women's Branch; Please as soon as possible be at our County and state headquarters and gather with our organization members.

Today is the day of protecting demcoracy. We will meet at our organizations with our flags. Binali Yıldırım Republic of Turkey Prime Minister

WOMEN’S BRANCH TODAY IT IS TIME TO PROTECT DEMOCRACY. WE CALL OUR NATION ON STREETS. MOVE WITH OUR ORGANIZATION MEMBERS

What happened?

It the job of parallels I think

Everyone calls

Damn it

Go to the provincial directorates in cities

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GNAT is gathering extraordinarly.

On the other hand we reminded to go to the Part Centers in case of a phone, internet or electricity cut.

16 July 2016

There were many experienced names that went to the GNAT. 24th Period Speaker of Parliament and Ankara Deputy Cemil Çiçek were at the Assembly that day. Mr. Çiçek came to a certain point with a police car and then walked for 20 minutes and entered the Assembly: I am living in Ankara Gölbaşı. I came home when it was about 10.00 p.m. When I heard that a part of Bosphoros Bridge (Boğaziçi) was closed in İstanbul, I thought of terror. My old deputy friend (Sadık Yakut) called me. I told him it may be a problem about terror. While I was watching TV, my concerns increased. I called first the former General Staff Necdet Özel. He lives near us. He stated that he called the headquarter but couldn’t reach anyone. Then I called the Director General of Public Security. He also didn’t say anything clear. I thought about some possibilities. Then a strong explosion happened. Gölbaşı Special Forces Center was bombed. Phones started to came. While I was answering them, the phone of my wife rang. The wife of Presidency General Secretary Fahri Kasırga. We are friends with them. We were on duty together as Minister-Undersecretary. We have a good friendship. My wife was saying “Don’t worry everything will be ok.” I took the phone and asked what was happening. She was stating “soldiers took Fahri and tried to explain what happened.”

In understood that there was a coup attempt. I called our Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım. Maybe I was one of the first calling ones. He answered immediately. I asked what I can do. He said “Everyone is at Çankaya Mansion, you can also go there.”

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I called government speaker Numan Kurtulmuş. I told him that I talked with Prime Minister. I changed my clothes and waited for a call. When nobody called me in a short while I left home with a police car since I hadn’t my own car. My wife told me “wait first learn the truth you are making always the same thing.” I said that I will go to the GNAT, if a phone comes from Mr. Kurtulmuş I will go there. I reached the Assembly.

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Committee of equality of opportunity for women and men President and Kocaeli Deputy Radiye Sezer Katırcıoğlu reached the Assembly by foot. The reason why she walked wasn’t because of her car, it was because she lost her tranquility against the coups.

We were on the way at 10.45 p.m. with my husband. We reached the Guvenlik gate.

We couldn’t enter, the gate was closed…

We had to walk. We met Salim Uslu. He had a car. He invited us in his car but I told him that I want to walk because I was very angry. I was walking so fast, I cannot forget…I had big files and bags in my hands, my husband couldn’t reach me..

I am on my way

Radiye Sezer Katırcıoğlu was not only angry but also concerned… That thing which caused concern was a phone she couldn’t reach: We saw that a F16 was flying over Beştepe to Anıtkabir. I called İstanbul deputy Şirin Ünal. I couldn’t reach her. I knew that she wasn’t abroad. This was the sign of a coup..

16 July 2016

Deputies of the nation protect Turkey.

From the camera of Radiye Sezer Katırcıoğlu

There were many people who learned the coup attempt on the way. Petition Commission President and İstanbul Deputy Mihrimah Belma Satır, Çanakkale Deputy Bülent Öz and Gaziantep Deputy Canan Candemir Çelik were returning back from Çorum after the commission meeting. Çorum deputy Lütfiye İlksen Ceritoğlu Kurt had learned it while turning back from the Harvest Feast in Polatlı of Directorate General of Agricultural Enterprises (TIGEM) and came to the Assembly.

Mihrimah Belma Satır: I learned the coup attempt while travelling from Çorum to Ankara. I was at Çorum for a meeting of the Petition Commission..

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I went home at eight, half past nine. My advisor lives in Gölbaşı. The first intervention was made to the Police Academy. Many police were martyred. When he told me these events, I understood that it was serious.

I decided to come to the Assembly.

While coming from Çorum to Ankara, CHP deputy was with us. We came to Ankara. He would go to Çanakkale; I would turn back to İstanbul. But when this happened, we went to the Assembly..

We visited Çorum governor Necmeddin Kilic. Thank you.

15 July 2016

Jets are shooting the police academy

Maybe it was the last time we saw our children but it was about the country.

The CHP deputy was CHP Çanakkale Deputy Bülent Öz: I went to Ankara when the studies in Çorum were completed.

My advisor in Ankara stated that there was an extraordinary movement in Ankara and military planes were making low flights. At 10.15 p.m. my advisor called me again and stated that fire was opened to MIT with helicopters. I realized that it was an extraordinary situation and this could only be an attempt. I thought that the best thing was going to the GNAT and decided to go to the Assembly.

We visited Çorum Hattusas Historical City and museum

We are at the Plenary. We are against the coups.

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AK PARTY Gaziantep Deputy Canan Candemir Çelik: After listening the problems of our citizens in Çorum Alaca, we would be with my family. It was also the birthday of my son Ahmet Can. We left our children to one of our family friend and went to the Assembly with my husband. Maybe it was the last time we saw our children but it was about the country.

#NoCoup Nations will is against the invaders!

16 July 2016

AK PARTY Çorum Deputy Lütfiye İlksen Ceritoğlu Kurt was turning back from Polatlı to Ankara: I learned it at about 10.00 p.m. from AK PARTY group while I was turning back from Polatlı.

We saw the military intensity while turning back from Polatlı. I thought that our soldiers took a safety measure and thought it was a measure. We continued.

Even we always stopped and wished them good luck in their work. Then later I realized if we had stopped maybe dangerous things could happen to us.

16 July 2016

We decided to come to the Assembly with my husband. We entered from the Çankaya gate.

Another deputy who learned the coup attempt on their way was AK PARTY Vice Chairman and İstanbul Deputy Erol Kaya.

On 15 July I had Bolu-Düzce Municipality visits. At 10.45 p.m. İstanbul Deputy Hulusi Şentürk called me and said there was a coup happening. The coup was realized to the country/government. We were the representatives of the country and should be in the Assembly. At 11.00 p.m. we departed from Sakarya-Akyazı to Ankara.

GNAT and Government is on duty. The deputies are at GNAT.

81 16 July 2016

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İstanbul road from Sakarya - Hendek was closed to traffic. Two military vehicles at the Ankara entrance closed the read. They directed guns on us. We used a different road and reached Ankara. The GNAT Dikmen gate was closed with two busses. We entered by using the pavement.

AK PARTY Bayburt Deputy Şahap Kavcıoğlu was at the Assembly until 07.30 p.m. that day.

We were calling people in order to understand what the situation was. I received a message “Let’s go to the Assembly from the Headquarters.” First I hesitated a bit but then I called the Group Deputy Chairmen. I talked with Mehmet Muş. He said “We are going to the Assembly come.

There were three council clerks that day at the Assembly: Sema Kırcı, Ömer Serdar and Mücahit Durmuşoğlu… They were ready in order to sit at the Bureau of the Assembly. They didn’t sit but were there all night long.

We are the representatives of the nation and we have to be in GNAT

AK PARTY Balıkesir Deputy Sema Kırcı: First I thought about terror. But then when we learned the reason I was very angry.… …We went to the GNAT immediately with my son. We had only one address and this was the GNAT.

We are at the GNAT Plenary

I came from Dikmen. I am at the Assembly Greetings from Erzurum

Don’t forget your ID cards

Where are you?

16 July 2016

There were police at the Dikmen gate of the Assembly more than ever. But we didn’t have any problems while entering

82 Connection of İsmail Kahraman to CNN TURK

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AK PARTY Elazığ Deputy Ömer Serdar: I thought about a suicide bomb or sabotage to the bridge. At National will stands. We are working that time İstanbul Deputy Azmi Ekinci called me and asked what was happening? I tried to reach Efkan Ala and Selami Altınok. Their phones were on-hook. I reached AK PARTY Vice Chairman Cevdet Yılmaz. He told me that there was a problem and he tried to understand it. Too much phone calls were coming at 16 July 2016 that time. In the message coming from the Assembly, it was demanded that deputies in Ankara should come to the Assembly. I called my advisors. We went to the Assembly with two of my advisors and my cousin. I came to the Assembly from the Dikmen gate.

AK PARTY Osmaniye Deputy Mücahit Durmuşoğlu: I learned the coup attempt when I was at home. I couldn’t believe it without validating it from different sources. Because there wasn’t any reason for a coup.

After transferring my family to a safe place, I had to go to the Assembly.

At that moment, the call of Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman came and we went after performing ablution.

Deputies are working

16 July 2016

Before going to the GNAT, I took information from my advisor about which ways are safe. We determined an entrance strategy and went with my son. There was a chaos at the entrance. We succeeded to enter the Assembly by moving on the pavement.

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Coup Happens Even at This Era Despite many people AK PARTY Vice Chairman and Siirt Deputy Yasin Aktay has believed that a coup can happen even in this era.

Despite many people AK PARTY Vice Chairman and Siirt Deputy Yasin Aktay has believed that a coup can happen even in this era. … I saw that a coup which is said to be impossible to happen can be realized even in this era. …The truth is since old times I have always left a tolerance against those who say a coup cannot happen in this era. …The thought that a coup cannot happen in this era are their own good intention. …I thought about these ideas. Then situation became clear. I thought what I have to do. I looked at the WhatsApp group of MYK members. Abdulhamit Gül wrote that people who were in Ankara should gather in Çankaya. I ran fast downstairs to go to Çankaya. That moment I saw Afyon Deputy Ali Özkaya. He had news from our President. This made me calm a little bit. We went… the roads were busy but our driver Yusuf succeeded to reach the 5 numbered gate of Çankaya.

There was a discussion about measures. At that time Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman stated that we have to open the GNAT and be there against the coup attempt. This idea was accepted by all of us. …We saw that all gates were hold. The main roads were busy with people who were trying to go to Kızılay. We came to the Dikmen gate from different ways.

Our nation will give the best answer to the ones who want to seize the management.

16 July 2016

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…When we reached the Dikmen gate we saw that the gates were closed with busses and vehicles.

They opened the gate when they were sure that I was in the car.

Ardahan Deputy Orhan Atalay learned the coup attempt while he was sitting at home as a result of the bombing of Special Forces Directorate, Kahramanmaraş Deputy İmran Kılıç learned it at the hotel room.

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AK PARTY Ardahan Deputy Orhan Atalay: I learned the coup attempt with the first bomb at the Special Forces Chamber Directorate in Gölbaşı. I thought that Deputies gathered at the Assembly. President is talking. the bomb was exploded by DEASH or Kurdistan workers" Party (PKK). I made 16 July 2016 a short consultation on phone with 23rd period Erzurum Deputy Saadettin Aydın and left home to go to A K PARY Headquarters. While waiting for the driver I heard the second bomb. With this bomb I thought that this coup attempt will be very bloody. I was on the way for Headquarters but I thought that going to the Assembly will be better and I changed my way.

AK PARTY Kahramanmaraş Deputy İmran Kılıç: I learned it between the evening and night. I performed ablution and went to the GNAT.

Our nation and government asks for account

I saw that there were measures taken in the entrance of the GNAT. Everyone was concerned. They thought attack may come from different directions. When we entered the Public Relations building, gun voices came.

I took action by thinking “If there is something to do and I won’t do it, who will do it?”.

Human Rights Commission President and İstanbul Deputy Mustafa Yeneroğlu and Giresun Deputy Sabri Öztürk had learned the coup attempt from the tweets of journalist Fatih Tezcan.

Mustafa Yeneroğlu: It was about 09.00 p.m. I thought about a practice but at that time it shouldn’t be.

There wasn’t healthy information about the process in the WhatsApp group. I searched for the word “coup” in Twitter and saw the tweets of Fatih Tezcan.

Don’t call me and ask if I am writing. There is a coup attempt.

Inform everyone.

15 July 2016

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I realized that a coup attempt was serious. I had the idea to go to the Assembly from the very beginning; I thought the first target would be Assembly. I called my driver.

I said “come, we will go to the Assembly.”After he came, we went to the Assembly.

When we were close, we realized that there was a police control. We said that we are deputies and entered the Assembly.

Giresun Deputy Sabri Öztürk who was ill and at home that day came to the Assembly immediately: At 10.00 p.m. I realized that there was a coup when I heard the voices of planes. I didn’t say anything to my wife. … I was sure when I saw the tweet of Fatih Tezcan “That day may be today, there can be a coup attempt, let’s go on streets in 81 cities.”

If we will die, that must be in GNAT

But I couldn’t believe. According to us coup periods were in the history. In the 21st century there couldn’t be a coup.

But it was.

Today is that day. Be ready for resistance. Be ready to defend Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

15 July 2016

… I performed ablution. I wore my white shirt. I called my wife, told her that there was a coup attempt. If they are successful they can arrest us and may be I cannot come home for a while. I left my money and cards to her and left home.

Photo: Espiye Mayor Mustafa Karadere Place: GNAT Shelter (From left; Ahmet Gündoğdu, Mustafa Karadere, Sabri Öztürk)

…First I tried to go to the Palace. When I saw that road were closed by soldiers, I went to the AK PARTY Center.

When I saw that there wasn’t any action at the Headquarters I decided to go to the Assembly.

We went to the Assembly with Espiye Mayor Mustafa Karadere.

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Police officer wouldn’t let the Mayor at first". There can be an attack and we cannot protect you. You may die", he said. We said "if we have to die, we will". Then he let us in.

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İstanbul Deputy Ahmet Berat Çonkar got the news by phone from İstanbul: İstanbul Deputy Ravza Kavakcı Kan called me and asked me if I had any information about it. …News about a coup attempt started to come. While my wife was putting children to sleep, I was preparing my gun. I performed ablution, performed the night prayer and read a little bit Koran. I communicated with my advisor and driver. Then I shared the 13th verse of the Saf section of the Koran both in Arabic and Turkish on Twitter. I sent two English tweets. While I was waiting for my driver, Deputy Floor Leader İlknur İnceöz came.

She stated that she would go to the GNAT. 15 July 2016

15 July 2016

15 July 2016

15 July 2016

…I left home silently in order not to wake my children up. They heard that I left.

…Since entrance to the GNAT was closed, I got out of the car and entered from the Dikmen gate on foot. …At about 02.05 a.m., we were close to the General Staff joint by walking from the Assembly garden. At that time, a helicopter fired us and the citizens. We looked for a wall to hide. …We reached the Assembly building by running with polices with different feelings.

The entrance of all deputies wasn’t so easy. There were deputies who had long ways to enter like Balıkesir Deputy Kasım Bostan: I learned it from my advisor while I was outside with my wife. I left my wife at home and took one of my friends and went to Kızılay with my car. First I went to Prime Ministry then to the Çankaya gate of the GNAT.

We are protecting the platform of the nation

…I turned back and toured around the Çankaya Mansion. There wasn’t an extraordinary situation. …I had an idea about coup. I turned my way to TRT building.

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…I went to the Headquarters from Konya road. There was nobody. …My daughter called me crying, they said they wanted to be with me. I turned back and took them.

I called our organization vice president Harun Karaca. He stated that we would gather at the 7th floor of the Headquarters. When Niğde Deputy Alpaslan Kavaklıoğlu stated that we will gather at the GNAT group hall, I entered from the Dikmen gate to the GNAT.

That night all deputies in Ankara took action in order to protect the GNAT. Elazığ Deputy Tahir Öztürk ran to the Assembly: I learned it at 10.30 p.m. from TV. First I thought it was a measure for terror. But when I saw the soldiers on the bridge I decided that it was a military movement.

I talked with other Elazığ deputies. They stated that it was an attempt. Then we decided to go to the Assembly.

We are wearing our cerements.

Some roads were closed while going to the Assembly. I reached the Assembly with 3 of my friends without problem..

I Wish I Had a Gun! AK PARTY Elazığ Deputy Elazığ Deputy Metin Bulut had regretted something: AK PARTY Elazığ Deputy Elazığ Deputy Metin Bulut had regretted something: I learned it from TV while having dinner at a restaurant in Çukurambar with Deputy Minister of Development Yusuf Coşkun. It was about 09.40 p.m.

A message came and I came to the GNAT.

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I thought that we would face a resistance or arrestment attempt. I was sure not to give in. I didn’t have a gun. I was very sad for the first time of not having it.

We are going to the Assembly

We are at the Assembly where are you

At the lobby waiting

I entered from the Güvenlik gate. Since the place was very close, I was one of the first people coming to the Assembly. Tanks didn’t arrive before the Assembly gate. I entered without having any problem.

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Heart is Bigger Than the Body!

Bursa deputy Bennur Karaburun was disabled but she came to the Assembly. She was there till the morning. Karaburun showed that the heart is bigger than the body.

My home is close to MIT… at about 09.00 p.m., I heard gun voices. Then it has been decided that deputies should go to the Assembly. I wanted from my team friends to make preparations in order to go to the GNAT. We were on the way by saying “We are wearing our cerements, give your blessings, Bismillah”.

Guns started again

We are in Yenimahalle

Are the gun voices at the Palace When we were close to the Assembly, a car stopped us. It was a police. He didn’t allow us to pass. When we said that we were If we will die, we will decently. The rest is detail deputies, he allowed and we entered the Assembly. We saw a bomb at the place where we usually park our car. Officers said that we could enter from the gate where the Speaker of Parliament entered. We opened the gate of the car. As my two guard police were holding me, another bomb exploded. Everyone was running away. The police were calm and let me in from the gate where the Speaker of Parliament entered.

Coup was very far away of the 2016's Turkey.

Where do we go

First bomb thrown to GNAT

I am at the Assembly

89 Photo: GNAT Achieve GNAT 1 Main gate 1 bomb thrown to the building st

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AK PARTY Kahramanmaraş Deputy Nursel Reyhanlioglu:

2nd bomb thrown to GNAT

I didn’t think about a coup attempt at first. Because the word ‘coup’ was very far away in the 2016’s Turkey. After the statements of our Prime Minister “This is a coup attempt and realized by a group of soldier” I decided to take action.

I came to GNAT after negotiations made with our deputies at the WhatsApp group.

AK PARTY Yozgat Deputy Yusuf Başer: My home is at Beştepe… all roads were closed towards the GNAT. I went down from Çetin Emeç. The Dikmen gate was closed with vehicles. There were gun voices coming and they were saying “Don’t go, they are shooting civils.” We entered from the Dikmen gate. My wife and children went to the listener lodge.

Turkey won’t allow any coup attempt

15 July 2016

I am coming to the Assembly

There is ID control We won’t allow it

You cannot attack the nation.

16 July 2016

Mersin Deputy Ali Cumhur Taşkın was at the mosque for night prayer…

I learned the coup attempt from the call of my son after exiting the night prayer. We discussed with friends immediately. They went to TRT, I went to the Assembly.

After a while, the roads to the Assembly were closed. I am living at Etimesgut. I reached the Dikmen gate with my advisor. The gate was closed with service busses.

We entered with our car from the pedestrian gate.

At that time F-16 planes were flying so close that the fire coming from the exhaust was touching the roof. The voice cannot be described.

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Today is that day. It is time to protect democracy.

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Uproor of the Taxi Driver…

As soon as Karabük Deputy Burhanettin Uysal heard the event, he took his doctor son and took a taxi and came to the Assembly. The words of the taxi driver were pointing a simple truth.

We were at a visit. My children called me, they told me that planes were flying over Ankara. I called my friends from security. They said that there is a sensitive situation but they don’t know anything. AK PARTY group –via SMSdemanded us to come to the Assembly. …Since Assembly wasn’t working, my driver and advisor weren’t with me. I called a taxi and took my son Doctor Fahrettin Şamil Uysal. We went to the Assembly. It was understood that there was a coup attempt. The taxi driver was against the coup: Who did these roads?

For what reason are you making this coup? Money is saved in the treasure, will you get it? We won’t give it to you.

We won’t give Turkey neither to Feto nor to coups

From the camera of Burhanettin Uysal

15 July 2016

We are at the General Assembly with Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman

Who did these roads? For what reason are you making this coup?

Money is saved in the treasure, will you get it? We won’t give it to you.

…Dikmen gate was close. We went to the Çankaya gate. We entered the Assembly with difficulty.

Şanlıurfa Deputy Ahmet Eşref Fakıbaba would go to his home town. When he got in the plane he received a message and came to the Assembly.

I go every weekend to Şanlıurfa. Before I went, I saw jets flying. I heard that İstanbul Bridge is closed with tanks.

We are at the supreme GNAT We protect nation's will. We are on duty.

When entering the airport I felt that an abnormal situation exists. It was 10.45 p.m. When we entered VIP lounge with the other deputies I learned about the coup attempt. I was shocked. I thought to go to my home town.

After the announcement I took the Urfa 16 July 2016 plane. I got a message. All deputies were invited to the Assembly. We left the airport and came to AK PARTY Headquarters. Until 01.00 a.m. we stayed there.

Then we decided to go to the Assembly with the former Minister of Environment Fatma Güldemet Sarı. We entered the Assembly from the Dikmen gate.

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Ghazi Deputy…

There were deputies who were trying to come to the Assembly but couldn't come. One of them was Hatay Deputy Hacı Bayram Türkoğlu who were injured at the entrance due to a bomb: When I heard the news I was 30 km away from Gölbaşı. We were having a critic with friends. My family was with me. At 01.45 a.m., with the call of the Speaker of Parliament and Group Management, I moved to attend the GNAT works.

The attempt in Ankara and İstanbul will be punished.

15 July 2016

My wife and daughter were with me while coming to the GNAT. They didn’t send me alone. They came with me.

Hacı Bayram Türkoğlu and his families injury moment

Photo: GNAT Archive GNAT Garden

We couldn’t enter Dikmen gate with our car. We parked the car between Dikmen gate the GNAT and General Staff. We passed the police point at the Dikmen gate with my wife and daughter at about 02.30 a.m. 60-70 m inside, near the GNAT main building a F16 threw a bomb and we experienced that scary atmosphere.

The bomb fell 30-40 m near us.

Me and my wife were injured from our arms and my daughter from his head and foot.

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My wife was injured also from the fire coming from the helicopter over the GNAT. My daughter was reciting the kalima shahada. I took her. We walked together with my wife and daughter to Dikmen gate. Police noticed that we were injured. They sent us to the hospital with a civil car.

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Health staff everywhere in every condition

Photo: GNAT Archive GNAT Garden

Health staff that day was excellent. They were everywhere with injured people while helicopters were shooting and tanks were running over people. They did their best for Hacı Bayram Türkoğlu, his wife and daughter.

They took the bullet from the arm of my wife. Her arms were broken and she had a 6-15 cm open wound on her neck. After we came to the hospital, GNAT was bombed again. My daughter was one day in the intensive care. The wound on her head had been sutured. My wounds were cleaned and sutured. My wife had 4 operations.

Shrapnel parts were taken out of her right arm and left under eye. Her broken bones and detached nerves have been treated by adding a piece. We stayed at hospital for one month. Now physical treatment started out of hospital.

Photo: Hacı Bayram Türkoğlu (From left; Hacı Bayram Türkoğlu her daughter Cennet Bala Türkoğlu)

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PART 2 SPIRIT OF ÇANAKKALE AT THE ASSEMBLY Both Will and Keys Are Necessary to Open the Assembly Deputies who learned the coup attempt started to come to the Assembly. Opening of the Assembly will demoralize the coup plotters and the standing of the deputies in the Plenary Hall will provide that the coup will fail. Many deputies who learned the attempt had the same thoughts: Opening the Assembly! Protecting the national will by holding it open.

Will was complete but for opening the Assembly many things were needed which were seen unimportant. First the keys of the Plenary Hall… The keys couldn’t be found. Let’s listen to those who have faced that night.

Opening the Assembly!

Protecting the national will by holding it open.

Orhan Karasayar: We decided to open the Assembly. We walked with the Speaker of Parliament together but couldn’t open the gate; the keys were not there. We tried to break it but the gates were very stable. Then the keys were brought. We entered with the Speaker of Parliament…

Ayşe Sula Köseoglu stated that they didn’t want to break the gates of the Assembly: We tried to find the keys for five ten minutes. We tried to break the gate but then we thought that this was the Assembly of the nation. We shouldn’t break the gates.

Then the suitable key was brought.

Plenary Hall was opened, that time there was no light. Emrullah İşler made such a contribution: …There was a chaos since staff weren’t there. Then someone brought the keys.

Speaker of Parliament and deputies were in front of the gate but it couldn’t be opened. One officer went to the other gate with two keys. This gate was opened. I went after him. So I was the first who entered the hall. The hall was dark. We used the lights of our phones. Then the lights were turned on and friends came in.

At least lights were turned on.

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A Different Bureau of the Assembly!

Now it was turn to form the Bureau of the Assembly…

The president was certain: Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman.

Clerk Member Change at the GNAT Plenary

Here is not a party rosette. Here we have the Turkish flag. We are Turkey.

In ordinary situations when a President and two council clerks are there, the Bureau of the Assembly is formed. There were three council clerks: Osmaniye Deputy Mücahit Durmuşoğlu, Balıkesir Deputy Sema Kırcı and Elazığ Deputy Ömer Serdar…

A nation is waking up

16 July 2016

When the Speaker of Parliament was sitting at the Presidency chair, Council clerks Balıkesir Deputy Sema Kırcı and Elazığ Deputy Ömer Serdar were walking towards the platform. But Speaker of Parliament Kahraman thought that AK PARTY, CHP and MHP Group Deputy Chairmen should be there in order to show the integrity of the Assembly Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman would explain the reason as follows: When I opened, Ömer Serdar and Sema Kırcı came and sat. I said: No. we will form the Bureau of the Assembly differently. We are here together as all parties. Stand up please. Özgür Özel even Erkan Akçay came. Salim Uslu was at the other part Mehmet Muş come.”

96 Photo: Alparslan Kavaklıoğlu GNAT Bureau of the Assembly set off with deputy floor leaders (From right; Mehmet Muş, İsmail Kahraman, Özgür Özel)

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There were deputies from CHP, MHP and AK PARTY. Much from AK PARTY. It is not like, you sit here, you there. No.…

I said: Here is not a party rosette. Here we have the Turkish flag. We are Turkey. We don’t talk about parties here. We want the continuation of democracy. We say no to coup. Nobody had the party idea. You are the witness of all talks. Always democracy, Turkey and unity and sovereignty.…

Sema Kırcı and Ömer Serdar accepted it natural.

Sema Kırcı: That night at the GNAT Plenary, Speaker of Parliament took the Group Deputy Chairmen of the opponent parties on his right and left and gave his messages with them. It was a unity that should be recorded for history. Our nation saw an Assembly with its ruling and opponent parties together.

Ömer Serdar: Another clerk member was needed except me for the formation of council. Sema Kırcı was there. We could open the Assembly together.

Let me give you a democracy kiss.

…Then when Group Deputy Chairmen from CHP and MHP came, president took two of the Group Deputy Chairmen to the Council.

Özgür Özel was telling the formation of that extraordinary Council like: When we entered, I called Bülent Tezcan. He said: Speaker of Parliament entered the Assembly Plenary, we are going there, and we are at the lobby. We entered; you were there from the ruling party, each entering deputy was clapped. Above there were advisors, families of deputies, people who brought deputies here. Speaker of Parliament stated “let me give you a democracy kiss.” It was very meaningful, I cannot forget it. We had some conflicts with him. The last time we had a conflict about the April 23 Reception. He said let’s make peace with a kiss. He kissed and gave me a hug. We sat down. Speaker of Parliament sat down for opening the session. He said: one Deputy Floor Leader from each party should come. Levent Gök was there. I said to him to go and sit down next to the Speaker.

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No Dresscode!

Speaker of Parliament is for the first time without a tuxedo. With a tie and suit…

Photo: Alparslan Kavaklıoğlu (From left; Ömer Serdar, İsmail Kahraman)

There is nearly 50-60 deputies at the Assembly and almost nobody has a tie or suit. Some of them are with t-shirt…

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One of these deputies was about to sit to the Bureau of the Assembly with his t-shirt and wore a jacket at the last minute given by someone… the deputy with the t-shirt was CHP Deputy Group Chairman Özgür Özel and the deputy who gave the jacket was the GNAT Chief AK PARTY Ankara Deputy Ahmet Gündoğdu.

Between these two, a few months ago, a serious discussion happened due to National Vision Shirt. Özgür Özel has stated that “I would never image that I will wear a jacket at the Council from a person with National Vision.

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Ahmet Gündoğdu: I didn’t have a tie but I had a jacket by thinking it might be necessary. It may be cold, everything can happen for that reason I came with my suit.

I saw that Özgür Özel was going to the council with a shirt…

Clothe cooperation of Ahmet Gündoğdu and Özgür Özel

İsmail Kahraman said come.

I ran and said one moment.

I didn’t even ask if he wants to wear it. I said wear it. It has to be moral motivation. He immediately wore it.

Özgür Özel: I was not wearing my suit at the guest house. When I heard the situation I wore jeans and a shirt which looks a little bit like a t-shirt. I had sports shoes. While I was walking I thought with these clothes it will be wrong. Ahmet Gündoğdu ran -he is usually sitting like that- and said wear my jacket. A navy blue good jacket. I looked and said at least you make me wear the National Vision jacket.

At least you make me wear the National Vision jacket.

Photo's: Alpaslan Kavaklıoğlu, Şahap Kavcıoğlu

Nobody was reacting abnormal about the clothes. I thought in the past how simple subjects were discussed. The color of the vest of the Assembly Deputy Floor Leader was even discussed whether it should be black or white before.

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Photo: GNAT Archive The presidential chair at the time when the GNAT was bombed (From right; Mehmet Mehdi Eker, Ramazan Can, Ali Cumhur Taşkın, İsmail Kahraman, Ömer Ünal, Ertekin Çolak, Mustafa Karadere, Sabri Öztürk, Hakan Çavuşoğlu, Nihat Zeybekci, Ahmet Berat Çonkar, Şahap Kavcıoğlu)

Today nobody was looking at the clothes. Everyone was there as the ruling and opponent part deputies and their aim were standing against the coup plotters.

The council was formed. Speeches were made. Group spokesmen were talking. Spokesmen were saying important things but only the 50-60 deputies at the council could hear it. But Turkey, even the whole world should hear this. Mostly the coup plotters. They should hear it in order to understand that this nation won’t give up. But how would this be?

As you know the GNAT TV is making broadcast when the Plenary is open. Since the GNAT gathered together extraordinary the GNAT TV was closed. Since technical staff couldn't be reach, broadcast opportunity was not available. Other agencies and channels couldn’t enter the Assembly. Minister of Labor Süleyman Soylu, the GNAT Chief Orhan Karasayar, Bursa Deputy Hakan Çavuşoğlu, Ankara Deputy Aydın Ünal and the GNAT Protection Chief Nurullah Öztürk was working in order that journalists can enter the Assembly and then the Plenary Hall. They are telling the situation as follows:

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Süleyman Soylu: I called Murat Akgün from AHaber. I told him that the live broadcast vehicle should come to the Assembly. They sent one but he couldn’t enter. We ran to the Dikmen

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gate with Hatay Deputy Orhan Karasayar. Orhan Karasayar got in the vehicle and we got in from the other gate. We brought Anadolu Agency with us. When live broadcast started from the Assembly, I felt that we had occupied the front.

Hakan Çavuşoğlu: …We were at the Plenary. Speaker of Parliament would open the special agenda but there wasn’t live broadcast. We had to solve this. We learned that A Haber live broadcast vehicle and Anadolu Agency journalist were near.

Aydın Ünal: We wanted to take journalists in. We saw that journalists weren’t allowed to get in. we had some objections about it.

At first we couldn’t take journalists in. then Süleyman Soylu came and we went out to the Dikmen gate. I asked him where were we going. He said "we are going to get the journalists to the Dikmen gate." I asked "why are we going and get them. Can’t we handle it with a phone?" He said "you are right." I told the Speaker of Parliament “let the journalists in, let them in.”

Orhan Karasayar: We learned that live broadcast vehicles were at the gate. I called the Security Chamber President and told him that the vehicles should come in. He told me that they couldn't move the vehicles from the gate it is a risk. When we open it, they may come in with tanks. …We arrived at the Dikmen gate. Police warned us about not to go. Interference started in front of General Staff.

Orhan Karasayar brings the press vehicle.

…They can come in with tanks. They are very near. If they enter, we have nothing to fight. …There was only the vehicle of A Haber. …The live broadcast vehicle was in front of the gate. That time we didn’t think about being shot. I planned to take it in from the Çankaya gate but there were also polices. I presented myself and they opened the way. We arrived at the Çankaya gate. …We have to enter fast. Bombs, guns might come on us. We are thinking about it.

We entered with the vehicle.

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Media, Broadcast, Voice, Cable…

All these efforts were successful and the press was inside. But this time we had a problem about the voice.

Technical preparation for extraordinary the GNAT Plenary meeting

Ahmet Gündoğdu …. We couldn't open the voice system. I called the General Secretary one more time.

"Isn’t there any voice system?" "No." İzmir Deputy Hüseyin Kocabıyık was there, I told to İsmail Kahraman that: I will take the press, it is impossible to take voice from there. He said "yes". Hüseyin Kocabıyık was making them signs. We called the press. I told them: "I am waiting you in front of this gate." They cannot enter from each gate.

A gate was opened. I took them in. we placed them in front of the platform. There were ATV, Anadolu Agency and Kanal 24.

The GNAT Operation and Production President Mehmet Zeki Mirvelioglu explains the voice system: There was a problem at the voice system. The sound responsible wasn’t there and the voice couldn’t be open. I called the voice technician Mr. Yakup 20 times that day.

He came from home by taking risk and opened it. But this time the voice on TV was quiet. The sound mixer was lacking. We found it and now the Assembly was ready.

Live broadcast vehicle came, press came in with cameras but now we had a cable problem.

Orhan Karasayar: We brought the live broadcast vehicle but we had a cable problem. The cable was found. Cameraman friends stated that the system didn't allow from here, we had to take them downstairs. We took them into the Plenary Hall. Speaker of Parliament started his statements.

Until cameras were brought downstairs, the World heard the voice of the Assembly.

How? A deputy who had journalist education and with the help of technology. Düzce Deputy Ayşe Keşir made a very important thing with her phone. Let’s listen to it from her: Ayşe Keşir:

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Speaker of Parliament will make a speech. We were 20-25 people inside. We have to announce that the Assembly was opened.

A cameraman of Assembly TV should arrive but there is not such

I invite citizens to streets, airports in order to protect democracy and national will.

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a preparation. I knew that our President connected via Face Time.

Speaker of Parliament first connected to another channel with a phone of a friend.

Ayşe Keşir was talking about Ömer Serdar; the TV channel was Elazığ Kanal 23.

Elazığ Kanal 23 connection of the GNAT President İsmail Kahraman

Ömer Serdar: The camera of Anadolu Agency and A Haber wasn’t in the Hall. Some friends were trying to take them in. Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman talked to Elazığ Kanal 23 with my phone. My aim was that even we cannot make broadcast to national channel; the statements of the President should reach the nation via local channels.

What a Wonder Face Time is!

These efforts were beneficial but the Assembly should reach a larger mass.

“We are here despite the bombs.”

Ayşe Keşir: … I connected to CNN Turk via Face Time.

President hadn’t opened the Council; I gave the phone to the President without the opening. Speaker of Parliament stated his thoughts. I thought that the nation should know that the Assembly was working. After the President I gave it to Bülent Tezcan. Bülent Tezcan held the phone very close to his face. I want that he hold it a little bit far so that audiences should see that he is at the Plenary. Then I asked to Levent Gök from CHP. His back was turned to the Plenary and used the phone like a camera. They both gave their messages. At that time Speaker of Parliament stated that he opened the Plenary. Then we closed the broadcast. I found the speeches important and said good bye to CNN Turk. …While Assembly work continued, deputies were inside, a bomb felt.

Nobody was afraid. Everyone was there and saying “We are here despite the bombs.” …CNN Turk called me again and asked me about the bomb. We made in total twenty four minutes broadcast.

Face time connection of Ayşe Keşir

Photo: Ayşe Keşir

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There is No Sitting Around Today!

On the other hand, deputies continue to come to the Assembly.

AS GNAT WE ARE PROTECTING OUR DEMOCRACY AND NATIONAL WILL There are places for each party but there is not a certain sitting order. Some deputies have a habit of sitting at a certain place. The places at the back are called flatland. Deputies who want to read or write sit there with their books or computers. This back part is far away from cameras also. Deputies like Necdet Ünüvar, Erol Kaya, Orhan Atalay, Alpaslan Kavaklıoğlu, and Adnan Boynukara who sit usually at the flatland were sitting in the front. Because today each deputy should be seen. This was an important answer for the coup plotters.

16 July 2016

Because today each deputy should be seen.

A First in History…

At that time television and agency representatives were taken into the Plenary Hall and started to make broadcast.

A Haber which was making broadcast.

Basın Press at the GNAT Council A Haber Journalist Levent Eke

A Haber Journalist Levent Eke:

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We are the witness of a first in the history. We are in the GNAT Plenary. For the first time we have such a permission.

Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman… I give him the turn.

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FIRST SESSION Opening Hour: 02.00 a.m.

SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT: İSMAİL KAHRAMAN CLERK MEMBERS: ÖMER SERDAR (Elazığ), SEMA KIRCI (Balıkesir) SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT: I wish that one Deputy Floor Leader of each party should come and sit on my left and right.

GNAT “Betrayer Feto“ voices during the GNAT Plenary

Dear clerks please give your places to them (AK PARTY Deputy Chairman Mehmet Muş and CHP Deputy Floor Leader Özgür Özel) (Voices of “Hooray Democracy! Murder Fetullah, He is killing the nation, murder Fetullah!)

Interview of Levent Eke

SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT: Thank you.

(Voices of “Coups will give account!)

This is an extraordinary meeting. I invited the Assembly for an extraordinary meeting tomorrow at 02.00 p.m. I hope that we will see us together as the Assembly.

Our nation is awake everywhere.

We are facing an unfortunate event. We are facing a coup attempt. Turkish Armed Forces stated that they are against it. Our nation is protecting democracy on the squares. This is a kind of democracy renewal. It made us all very sad.

Here, there are the valuable members of CHP and MHP. Dear Devlet Bahçeli has made a statement on behalf of MHP. Most of the citizens are waiting outside.

Our democratic experience is old and essentional. We are against of every kind of movement against democracy. This is the democracy temple of the nation. We are here together.

I demand from my valuable friends, brothers, group deputy chairmen to express their ideas on this live broadcast.

I request from AKP Deputy Floor Leader Mr. Mehmet Muş.

MEHMET MUŞ (İstanbul) - Dear citizens, dear nation; this attempt will absolutely fail. It has no chance to be successful.

Our nation is awake everywhere. Millions of citizens are on the street in 81 cities.

They are protecting the national will.

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CHP Group Deputy Özgür Özel while the Assembly was bombed.

Our government is working. Our President is in charge of the State. Our Speaker of Parliament is at the meeting at the GNAT. This is the day on which we have to protect the national will. This is the day to avoid this attempt and to make the ones who realize this to give an account in front of jurisdiction.

In this term, I invite the citizens to stay on streets to protect the national will.

Until the coup plotters give in, the GNAT will continue to work. Citizens will be on streets. Security forces will be with our citizens. Until this small structure will be avoided and cleaned within the Armed Forces, these works will continue.

I invite all the citizens on streets with Turkish flags and avoid these who attempted to realize this coup attempt.

SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT - I thank to AK PARTY Deputy Floor Leader Mehmet Muş.

Now it is the turn of CHP Deputy Floor Leader Özgür Özel.

Our government is working. Our President is in charge of the State.

ÖZGÜR ÖZEL (Manisa) - Dear President, dear deputies as CHP we enter elections for 93 years. We defeat or have been defeated but we will never lose against coup plotters.

At the last elections, our nation gave us the right to be the opponent party. Until our nation gives us another duty with another democratic election - ruling party or opponent part- we are the opponent party of this Assembly. We believe in democracy and Assembly.

Our leader was at in the plane when this attempt realized. He landed on Atatürk airport late.

His first statements have been shared. He couldn't return since air traffic is not working. He tried every way to come to Ankara. His order to us is to protect the Assembly and democracy.

After this speech Özgür Özel got a very loud applause. Even AK PARTY members warmly applaud him.

This was a surprise for him. He even made a joke to his friends. Özgür Özel:

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We are always talking. My group always applauds me so much. My speech ended.

A loud applause happened. My group applauded me by sitting but AK PARTY group was standing. On that night whoever was talking, after each speech, Turkey is proud of you slogans have been stated. I told to my friends “I have made such an historical speech. AKP applauded me on standing, you were sitting.”

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AK PARTY Elazığ Deputy has made a movement to which he himself could hardly believe and gave a hug: I couldn’t imagine that I could give him such a warm hug after his speech.

Coup Plotters Will Be Held Accountable to the Nation!

While the extraordinary meeting continues like that at the Assembly, let’s continue from the records of A Haber: SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT: We will make negotiations among us.

We will never surrender coup

A live broadcast, we will give a break and continue.

Thank you very much. İLKNUR İNCEÖZ (Aksaray) - Dear friends don’t leave, MHP Deputy Floor Leader comes.

SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT - Yes I want to add this. MHP Deputy Floor Leader is about to come.

The national will is at the Assembly with the deputies.

President gave interruption but all channels continue to broadcast. They transmitted what was happening and announced the statements of the deputies to the whole world.

REPORTER (Levent Eke) - the best answer is given from the Grand National Assembly of Turkey by Turkish deputies.

Cabinet members are here. After the news was heard, AK PARTY and CHP deputies came. Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman opened the Plenary. He gave the chance to talk to the both group deputy chairmen of AK PARTY and CHP. Both chairmen reprobated the attempt.

Let us tell the latest news. MHP Deputy Floor Leader is on his way. He will be in the Plenary soon and the unity and sovereignty message is given from here to the whole world.

(Coup Plotters will give account to the nation.)

We said that cabinet members were here. Minister of Economy Nihat Zeybekci was also here.

We are at the Assembly as nation is on the street. The sun will raise more beautiful tomorrow.

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What do you want to say?

MINISTER OF ECONOMY NİHAT ZEYBEKCİ (Denizli)

This nation won’t give its will to anyone.

This is a very important day for our nation, for the democracy history. This is a day of democracy fight and defense of national will. The national will is at the Assembly with the deputies and the nation is on the street. The country won’t be left to those traitors. They will get the necessary answers from the nation and Assembly. Our nation shouldn’t be concerned. While they were on the streets, we were at the Assembly. This nation will give the democracy traitors the answer. Everyone should be on squares. We won’t leave this Assembly until the national will rules the whole country.

REPORTER - Thank you very much.

I want to continue from here because MHP deputies are coming. Former Deputy Floor Leader Oktay Vural is here. Let’s ask his opinions on that historical day.

Grand National Assembly of Turkey is on duty

OKTAY VURAL (İzmir) - Grand National Assembly of Turkey is the place where the national will of Turkey appears. This nation won’t give its will to anyone. We will protect our democracy in the directions of the statements made by our General President. … I state that we are decisive to carry on every kind of fight.

Grand National Assembly of Turkey is on duty and according to our Constitution, the only representative of the Turkish nation is the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. As deputies we are here to show that we protect this sovereignty and will.

I hope that this problematic situation ends as soon as possible. We wish that it will end. It is not right to make this nation pay more prices. We invite everyone to be more calm and aware.

SECOND SESSION SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT: İSMAİL KAHRAMAN MEHMET MUŞ (İstanbul), ÖZGÜR ÖZEL (Manisa) ERKAN AKÇAY(Manisa), MEHMET GÜNAL (Antalya)

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SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT - I am opening the extraordinary meeting.

We are here as a result of a bad event but it is beautiful in terms of forming such a table which shows the protection of democracy.

We are here together as AK PARTY, CHP and MHP deputies… It is sad but it provides

That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

us to gather together and repeat our dependence of democracy. …Thank you all for being here. Our nation will give the necessary lesson to those adventurers with its royal attitude.

The microphone is open. I stated it to the press also and notified the deputies in written. Tomorrow at 02.00 p.m. our Assembly will have an extraordinary meeting.

Now I am repeating my invitation. But I think that we will be here until the meeting.

Here, at home. …Since 1876 Turkey has a democracy experience. We are the owner of democracy.

When democracy is mentioned, there is no ruling or opponent party. There is the future and benefit of Turkey. I thank all of you again for your sensitiveness.

Dear deputies, I want you to talk and continue as one person from each group.

There are ministers. I want them also talk.

MHP Deputy Floor Leader Mr. Erkan is here. I want him to express his feelings.

ERKAN AKÇAY (Manisa) - Dear President, valuable deputies, dear nation; I greet you with respect.

In 1920 while the gun reports of the enemies came from Polatlı to Ankara, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey was open; it was working and carried out the war.

Hooray Law! Hooray democracy!

Hooray nation, Turkish nation!

Today it is unfortunately a black stain. There is a coup attempt against our democracy, law, constitutional order which cannot be accepted. The Turkish Nation, all organs of Republic of Turkey will avoid this attempt.

Our message to the nation is: be calm. Trust to the Assembly, Republic of Turkey and institutions. We are having a serious test of unity and sovereignty.

We will continue to show our effort as MHP. Hooray Law! Hooray democracy!

Hooray nation, Turkish nation!

I greet all of you with respect.

SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT - I thank to Erkan Akçay.

News are coming. One colonel and 3 soldiers have been taken under custody due to coup attempt.

Mr. Levent, please come.

CHP Deputy Floor Leader Levent Gök.

LEVENT GÖK (Ankara) - Dear president, valuable deputies and nation; Turkey

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is passing through an important exam. Turkey lives a historical day today, an important day. The attitude to CHP is very clear. CHP is against every kind of coup.

Leven Gök’s GNAT Plenary speech from Utku Çakırözer’s camera

We are here as the CHP deputies in order to protect the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. We need this; to protect democracy, understand each other, and solve our problems with reconciliation. If democracy is removed, there will be no AKP, CHP, MHP and other parties. If democracy exists we will be all here.

We will have of course different ideas but they shouldn’t keep us away from democracy. We will do everything within democracy. We will do everything at the Assembly and we have to.

As from today we have to understand each other better.

All political parties, all constitutional institutions, towards the benefits of Turkey, shouldn't have political conflicts ,it is time to hug each other. We are thrusting our hand for democracy for human rights, for the beauty of Turkey, for integrity. We are calling everyone:

If democracy exists we will be all here.

As CHP members, as a party suffered from coups a lot, we know that coups won’t bring anything to the country. As CHP we state that we will work for Turkey. … We are against the coup. Whoever makes a coup should give account. The only harbor we can hide is democracy. The only harbor is the Assembly. The only harbors are we. AK PARTY, CHP, HDP, MHP and all political parties out of the Assembly. Now it is time to hug each other. It is time meet Turkey with full democracy.

With these feelings as CHP party group, deputies we state that we are with the national will and greet all of you with respect.

SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT ISMAL KAHRAMAN - Thank you very much.

About the latest developments, Minister of Justice Bekir Bozdağ will make some statements.

Please come.

Minister Bekir Bozdağ was on the platform but didn’t start to talk. On the other hand Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman was informing the Assembly about what was happening outside.

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İSMAİL KAHRAMAN - Dear Minister, Mr. Mehmet received some information, the speeches of commanders on NTV. Mr. Mehmet, can you tell them?

MEHMET MUŞ (İstanbul) - here are the statements of Gendarmerie Operations

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President Major General Çetin: “We are denying this coup attempt and we are controlling the situation.”

Again Major General Çetin says that “We are talking with Gendarmerie General Commander Galip Mendi. He says “the citizens should be on streets. We are denying this attempt. Staff should be in the barracks.”

Again, Bursa provincial gendarmerie commander of the coup plotters ...

Bomb to the Heart of National Will!

While Mehmet Muş completed his talk, we heard a crash. The lamps and windows were broken. 2-3 minutes later a bigger voice came. Then a dust of cloud was formed. It was unbelievable. The Assembly was bombed. Everyone was shocked.

We couldn’t think of a possibility that the Assembly could be bombed with the own guns of the nation but it happened. The Plenary hall was nearly oval. The place where deputies sit is in the middle. The ceiling is not so protected. The architects didn’t make it protective since they couldn’t think that the Assembly could be bombed.

Plenary Speech of Bekir Bozdağ

Photo: Levent Eke (Rostrum: Bekir Bozdağ, Bureau of the Assembly from right; Erkan Akçay, Mehmet Muş, İsmail Kahrman, Özgür Özel, Mehmet Günal) 15th July 2016

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After the big noise, we stood up and started to shout “Traitors! YOU WON’T SUCCEED” Manisa Deputy Selcuk Özdag was near me. He stated that “I saw you for the first time so angry.”

A valuable building story

I said “The only thing that I could do at that moment was to shout so loud and angry.”

Was it only me shouting?

No, everyone was standing and doing the same.

We were all shouting against the coup plotters.

Then the third bomb was thrown. Our security chief told us to leave the Plenary. They would go but not leave the Assembly.

That night the Assembly was bombed many times.

Nobody could count it. It was a disappointment and everyone was angry.

We are at the Assembly despite the bombs. We will wait until they give up.

16 July 2016

The GNAT Protection Chief Nurullah Öztürk: Grand National Assembly of Turkey was bombed three times on 02.32/03.22/03.23 a.m. by a plane. Explosion sounds have been heard til the morning over 15 times.

Helicopter made a sortie my firing over eight times.

The police responded to the fire, the landing of helicopters to the Palace ceremony has been avoided.

During these explosions, big damage has occurred in the main building and visitor acceptance hall, 18 staff, one deputy and his wife and daughter have been injured.

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Photos: GNAT Archive GNAT Main Roof - 16 July 2016

Photos: GNAT Archive GNAT main building from the garden - 16 July 2016

Photo: GNAT Archive GNAT visitor buildings view from the garden - 16 July 2016

Photo: GNAT Archive GNAT visitors admission building - 16 July 2016

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Nobody was expecting that the Assembly could be bombed. Deputies had mixed feeling at that time.

Mehmet Muş: At the right part of the council I saw a big dust cloud, a big explosion happened.

Then a dust cloud started to come in. all the deputies stood up. Bekir Bozdağ was waiting at the platform. In the tribunes, there are audiences. Nobody was moving.

Everyone was cursing.

The bombing moment of the GNAT and going to the shelter

We Have to Die Here!

Bekir Bozdağ was at the platform during the bombing: While I was making my speech, the bombing started. The lamps moved. Deputies also. I continued my speech meanwhile I heard the speech of the Speaker of Parliament. Some friends stated that we had to go to the shelter.

I thought that if we went to the shelter with panic on a live broadcast, this would demoralize the nation. People wouldn’t go on streets if they see us running away or something else could happen. I stated “Dear President, if we leave and go, the nation will see it. They will say the Assembly ran away and they won’t come on streets. President agreed and we continued to work. I continued my speech.

We Have to Die Here!

At that moment Anadolu Agency Reporter Coşkun Ergül was at the Plenary Hall.

Coşkun Ergül: While minister of justice Bekir Bozdağ was talking, a bomb was thrown and a dust cloud came in. In the first bomb, the Plenary continued to work but at the second, going to the shelter was mentioned.

When the second bomb was thrown, I went to the opponent lobby. Because the bomb was thrown towards there.

I saw that Oktay Vural from MHP was hugging his crying son and was calming him down. Injured police were going to the direction of the tea house.

2 police were injured from the bomb thrown to the garden. I was filming everything with my phone.

Above infights, we are waiting in the shelter

Interview of Coşkun Ergül "Habercinin Gozunden" Program TRT Haber

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My Son, My Son… Oktay Vural was anxious but when he saw that her son was in a good condition, he was relaxed:

Oktay Vural hugging his son

While we were expressing our ideas at the GNAT Plenary, we were shocked with a bomb. A big noise and a dust cloud. My son was at the opponent lobby. I went there. We hugged.

God is great my son don’t be afraid Photo: Coşkun Ergül Oktay Vural and his son - 15 July 2016

He was in a shock. I thought why I gave permission to him to come with me. Then I asked myself why I didn’t take him with me to the Plenary Hall.

İsmail Bilen had the same feelings: I was a little bit sad since I took my son with me and left my wife and two daughters at home alone. When the first bomb was thrown, my son was at the opponent lobby; I was at the Plenary. I We are at the nations GNAT against the coup to protect democracy understood that the bomb was thrown to the opponent lobby. When I looked, I saw that his condition was well.

The common feeling of the deputies was anger.

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Abdülkadir Yüksel: That night, we had full unity.

16 July 2016

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Adnan Boynukara: I thought that the plenary hall was demolished..

Ahmet Berat Çonkar: We had a great shock when the bomb exploded. Our anxiety increased but I didn’t feel any fear except taking measures.

Ahmet Eşref Fakıbaba: I was rather shocked. Because who bombed us was our soldier.

Not a Coup, Controlled Occupation!

Ahmet İyimaya: A loud voice, a dust cloud and BOMB!... That moment I said “This is not a COUP, this is a CONTROLLED OCCUPATION!”

Ali Cumhur Taşkın thought that this bomb increased their courage: Bombing increased our courage despite its terror.

Aydın Ünal underlined the importance that speeches continued despite the bombs: First a gabble, than a big explosion, quake. We all stood up but there was no panic. Nobody thought to run away. The speeches continued and this gave courage to everyone..

Greek army of occupation even not bombed the GNAT

16 July 2016

Before the Assembly was bombed, Alpaslan Kavaklıoğlu and his family were waving hands to each other ,their friend Özlem Ulupınar was also with them .

During the works in the Plenary, my wife, daughter, Özlem Ulupınar, wife of Zonguldak Deputy Özcan Ulupınar, were opening a flag and waving to us. It was a beautiful scene, but at that moment: with this bomb it was all ruined. I looked at the balcony. I saw that my daughter and everybody at the balcony were shocked with the massive explosion Then I hurried to the lobby to reach them.

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Photo: Alpaslan Kavaklıoğlu

I saw that my daughter was afraid. Then I went to the lobby to reach them.

The husband and sons of Lütfiye Selva Çam were at the listener lobby. At the moment they left, the bomb was thrown: When the first bomb was thrown, my husband and sons watched us from the lobby and then left in order to follow the developments. The bomb exploded while they were outside.

They came back to the Plenary Hall by thinking that the damage might be big.

Photo: Lütfiye Selva Çam

We went to the utility room as deputies.

Ayşe Keşir: Nobody said in the Assembly “a bomb exploded, what is happening?” Everyone was saying “We are here despite the bomb.”

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Bennur Karaburun: We had difficult times but we weren’t afraid. We knew that the nation was with us.

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Burhanettin Uysal: When the Assembly was bombed, I was stuck between death and life for the first time but the strength of my friends encouraged me.

Bülent Öz: I thought it was the first big explosion. I was in my room. We ran to the corridor with my advisor and when I came back the room was ruined. My books, albums were on the ground.

The GNAT is bombed. We are going to the shelter 16 July 2016

If the Guard Troop Won’t be Removed from the GNAT… Cemil Çiçek was underlining something else: When bombs were thrown to the Assembly, a friend from CHP stated that fortunately you have excluded the guard troop from the Assembly, if not we couldn’t enter. This statement reminds us much. If the troop guard wasn’t excluded, maybe this roof would be the logistic base of the coup plotters.

If the troop guard wasn’t excluded, maybe this roof would be the logistic base of the coups.

Dear Çiçek was showing a very important detail. If the guard troop wasn’t removed, maybe he even couldn’t enter on foot. Let’s talk about an interesting detail about the guard troop which was removed during the period of Çiçek. I remind such an event from Adıyaman Mayor Fehmi Hüsrev Kutlu: it was 2004, Adıyaman Deputy Fehmi Kutlu wants to enter the Assembly one night. When he came, the soldiers say entrance is forbidden. Fehmi Kutlu says that I am deputy. Then the soldiers shouted to the specialized sergeant that “He is a deputy” then he can enter. Upon this Gündüz says “barrack within the Assembly, Assembly within the barrack.” Fehmi Hüsrev starts research and interesting information is reached. In a book among General Staff publications, the critical role of guard troops in May 27 and September 12 coups has been told.

The reactions towards the bombing were similar: Emrullah İşler: When the Assembly was bombed we stood up and I shouted “Traitors, We are not afraid of you.”

They shot the GNAT but we are still here. We won’t give up.

16 July 2016

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Erkan Akçay: While we were making our speeches in the Plenary, the building has a quake with the bombs. The Plenary hall was within a dust cloud. If it targeted the plenary hall, the lamps would fall and people might die.

When the last bomb was thrown to the Assembly, I was at the room of Speaker of Parliament. I took a red pencil, that time when the last bomb was thrown, my advisor came and said "please come and go to the shelter." I told him “When they said they would kill you to Hz. Ali, he said he had shield like ending, they couldn't do anything.” Yes the ending was our shield. If it hasn’t come, nobody could do anything.

Hakan Çavuşoğlu: It was not possible to describe the feeling. I felt that the second bomb will come soon after the first. I thought that I was living my last minutes.

Halil Etyemez: I felt sorrow and disgust. I was not afraid what we had to do was to protect the nations will and the power of the GNAT.

Halil Özcan: That night many things happened. We had been shot by terrorists who wore the uniform of Turkish soldiers. This made me sad like everyone.

A description of this betrayal is not possible

Hülya Nergis:

On behalf of democracy, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, national will don’t give up.

16 July 2016

I was afraid of the bomb. But we cannot run away from fate.

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Cowards Die Many Times Before Their Deaths İmran Kılıç: Cowards die many times before their deaths. The one who is afraid dies two times.

I didn’t feel any fear or concern.

Fotoğraf: Nagehan Akbulut Varol

Erol Kaya:

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İbrahim Halil Fırat: While the Assembly was bombed and in the Plenary Hall, we were there for death.

I didn’t feel any death fear.

İlknur İnceöz: It was sad what we had experienced. There have no words to describe it.

Julide Sarıeroğlu: I didn’t think of death or fear. As the deputies of the Ghazi Assembly, it is an honor to be in such a period.

Kasım Bostan:

We continue our democracy watch at the GNAT under bombs.

16 July 2016

There wasn’t a fear in my friends. The thing we felt was confusion and anger.

Levent Gök: We determined in the first bomb that it was a bomb. Because after the noise of the jet, we had a bigger noise. The Assembly was shaken. The lamps felt down near us. Some materials were falling; dust cloud etc.

We put a note to the history under the bombs in the GNAT against the coup in the GNAT

Mahmut Tanal: I think that these who made this attempt are betrayer terrorists.

Leyla Şahin Usta first thought about her children: I have never heard such a loud noise and such a shake. I was excited and recited shahada. I only thought about my two children. I was sad to leave them behind without mother.

We are ok. A bomb was thrown to the Plenary.

16 July 2016

Another name who was thinking about her children was Lütfiye İlksen Ceritoğlu: I was scared but the reason was not being able to see my children again.

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Mehmet Günal: They are traitors I said. I couldn’t think that the GNAT would be bombed.

Mehmet İlker Çitil: It was a hard situation to accept.

Mehmet Kasım Gülpınar: At that moment I realized there is death at the end and at the same time I also realized how frightening war is.

Metin Bulut: I felt different and recited the shahadah. Malatya deputy accompanied me.

Mihrimah Belma Satır: A big process, but we weren’t afraid.

Murat Alparslan: I understood that the attempt was towards the nation and national will.

From holy Quran: ALLAH ALWAYS WIN

16 July 2016

1 Ton Rice Cap Didn’t Exist!

AK PARTY Group Vice Chairman Mustafa Özkan was at another place while the bomb was thrown:

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When the first bomb was thrown, we were at the lobby. The windows were crushing. We were sitting near a wall. I wasn’t scared.

When the bomb was thrown, I was trying to send a SMS to the deputies that the GNAT

Dear sons of turkish nation….

This coup is a betrayel using the nations armored vehicles and guns of a small group like in the years 70’s honered turkish nation mıust protect the democracy and peace. I invite you to the squares.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan 16 July 2016

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would have an extraordinary meeting on July 16, Saturday on 02.00 p.m. while writing, Tokat deputy Zeyid Aslan called me and took information. At that time another explosion happened.

Everywhere was dust. I send the SMS and left the room. It was impossible to breath. I could hardly see. While walking, the second bomb exploded. I could see the size. The 1 ton rice cap wasn’t even there.

The bombing of the Assembly continued.

Photo: GNAT Archive GNAT Glory Hall - 16 July 2016

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Seventh bomb on the building They threw a bomb to the Assembly When?

8th bomb now

The Assembly is bad. They threw the 9th bomb Second bomb 9th bomb

4th bomb

9th bomb

Mustafa Yeneroğlu: Deputies sat on their places and their determination increased. It reminded us to fight till the end.

Mücahit Durmuşoğlu: At first it was told that we were affected from a sonic boom but when we understood that it was a real bomb I got angry about these traitors.

Nursel Reyhanlıoğlu: Our determination against these traitors increased.

124 Photo: Nursel Reyhanlıoğlu Place: GNAT Shelter

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Orhan Atalay: My concern had gone and I was calm. I wasn’t afraid when the bomb was thrown.

I felt that we were calm. I learned that it was peace, determination and courage which were described in Koran for hard times.

Orhan Karasayar: There was a very loud noise. We thought that the Plenary was razed. It was a very intense explosion.

Orhan Miroğlu: I thought of Salvador Allen. The Chile coup. The Assembly was occupied and Allen didn’t give in. I thought about my days in Diyarbakır prison. I gave in to the coup plotters September 12 . I had torture till death for six years. When the Assembly was bombed I thought, they would not give up and would come and take us if they could not kill us.

Ömer Serdar: When the first bomb was thrown, and then the continuation of bombs, the attempt of helicopter landing made me feel of a war.

All the Deputies who were at the GNAT that night had no party they took off their politic beliefs aside and wore the uniform of KUVAYİ MİLLİYE (Natıonal Forces)

Özgür Özel: With the effect of the bomb, I thought that the windows were broken with a bomb in the Assembly garden.

First pictures of the GNAT

The bomb might come in the Assembly with one second difference. There is a chandelier. If it would fell down, nobody had the chance to survive.

Radiye Sezer Katırcıoğlu: Pieces of glass plunged down on me. There are big 16 July 2016 chandeliers in the plenary hall.

Its small pieces plunged down.

A quake like an earthquake. If it would come to the general hall we might have died.

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Mehmet Mehdi Eker: There are 16 chandeliers in the hall and a glass ceiling. If 2 bombs would fall there, we might have died.

Ramazan Can: We were shuddered and stood up.

Ruhi Ersoy: All the Deputies who were at the GNAT that night had no party they took off their politic beliefs aside and wore the uniform of KUVAYİ MİLLİYE (Natıonal Forces)

Sabri Öztürk: Everywhere was dust. We were shocked. How can the home of the nation be bombed? We couldn’t believe. It was like a war opened by foreigners.

lu

We didn’t left the Assembly under bombs. There is no power over the Assembly.

Selcuk Özdag: When the bomb was thrown I was close to it.

None of my friends ran away. Maybe some were scared but everyone was stable.

Sema Kırcı: The bomb which affected me most was the one while I was at the council. It caused a quake and we were in dust. My son was at the public gallery. I first looked for him.

The GNAT is in service with its ruling and opposing parties

Şahap Kavcıoğlu:

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AK PARTY, CHP and MHP Group Deputy Chairmen have given the same unity messaged. This image may scare the coup plotters, so they threw the bomb.

16 July 2016

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Tahir Öztürk: I just prayed.

Everyone should be at ease. We are here and won’t leave

Tekin Bingöl: It is hard to explain that feeling, you are of course worried and concerned. But this is not something foreign to Turkey. I thought of it and was calm.

16 July 2016

If It Was a Movie, We Wouldn’t Believe!

Uğur Bayraktutan: If they made us watch it as a film, I wouldn’t believe. We were shocked. I saw that a part of the Assembly was ruined.

We are with our deputy friends at the GNAT while it was bombed.

Uktu Çakırözer: It was hard to believe. I was shocked. I was concerned.

Yasin Aktay is a sociologist. When the bomb was thrown he made a calculation like an engineer: I couldn’t believe and thought that it was a sound bomb. When the second came I was sitting and I didn’t stand up. My friends made warnings that the chandeliers may fall and I made a little calculation and thought that I won’t be affected from it.

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Yusuf Başer: When the Assembly was bombed I saw the betrayal very close.

Photo: Yusuf Başer Place: GNAT Shelter (From left; Yusuf Başer, Ali Şahin, Erol Kaya)

Ziya Altunyaldız: I didn’t believe that a betrayal and its members would ruin the house of a nation. But when experiencing the two bombs in the Plenary Hall, I thought that this betrayal is different.

We are decisive to protect the national will till the end

16 July 2016

Bombing continued. The Assembly Protection Chief came and said to İsmail Kahraman that they had to leave. We didin't think about leaving. They tried to convince us to leave.

Coup Pilot: “I Personally bombed the Assembly”

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When we look at the statements of the Air Pilot staff Lt. Col. Hasan Hüsnü B. we saw that the protection chief was right. They targeted the Plenary.

Air Pilot Staff Lt. Col. Hasan Hüsnü B. has stated in his statements that; I was locked to the target we determined upon order. I left one LGB bomb by pressing on the button and left.

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B. has stated that captain Ahmet T. told him to be ready for flight at midnight and fly with captain Uğur U. He mentioned that after using the ARSLAN 5 code, they took off and Ahmet T. gave an order to throw a bomb to the GNAT garden.

Traitors of our nation, enemies of our nation,an object lesson of the GNAT after the attempt of the enemies and traitors of our nation #nocoup

The pilot said it was in city but they told “Shooting is free.”

B. who thinks that this order is given by 4th Base Operation Commander Colonel Ahmet O. and added: After evaluating for 5 minutes this order, we didn’t repeat the order to Democratic Union Confederation (DESK). Uğur captain entered the coordinates. The coordinates were the garden of the Assembly. Then captain Uğur researched the front and back. He made a picture examination for the most appropriate place. After completing our preparations, captain Uğur asked Ahmet T. from DESK if we still agree. Ahmet T. has stated “I am giving fire order, shoot.” I went to the target and pushed the button, left one LGB bomb and left.

129 Photo: GNAT Archive GNAT Main Building-16 July 2016

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During that action, B. has stated that he didn’t use the guns. Then another order to make fast low flight had come.

Air filming of the attack to the GNAT

I THREW THE BOMB TO THE ASSEMBLY. Hasan Hüsnü B. has stated that after staying 45-50 minutes in the air, they went back the Akinci Base 141st Fleet.

B. has stated that he heard the announcements of pilots from Diyarbakır whose flight codes were Pars.

But he couldn’t understand what they were talking. He mentioned that only in the bombing, I threw it myself.

He and the GNAT Protection team was insisting on that deputies should leave the Plenary.

But nobody was listening. Nobody would leave it.

The words of Minister of Justice were registered in the history. If we will die, we will die here.

Everyone was thinking the same.

Were we angry? Yes Were we tense? Yes Were we nervous? Yes Were we scared? No Nobody was scared.

A magic hand had touched Turkey and everyone was trying to do something for his land.

We are at the group

Municipalities should work with heavy vehicles

We are going to Atatürk airport in order to welcome our President

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The idea what made us to come to the Assembly or the citizens at the bosphorus bridge who were standing against the tanks was the same what made the citizens in 81 cities not sitting at home and fight on streets.

While safety officers were discussing about leaving or not, time was passing. Then two explosions happened. The bombs fell to a closer point. A dust cloud came in. At least we would leave the Plenary Hall.

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PART 3 GHAZI ASSEMBLY IS RESISTING!

GNAT Shelter views

There is a Shelter Downstairs, Here is a Risk to Life We first passed to the lobby when the Plenary Hall was like a war place. After a short evaluation, we passed to the point where we could made a meeting. There wasn’t such a shelter.

Photo: GNAT Archive the GNAT Prime Ministry Office16 July 2016

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Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman: They told me: there is a shelter, here is life danger. We are in the Assembly building.

Let’s go. We will stay here but let’s go to the shelter. The meeting will continue. There is a 500 people meeting hall. I was still staying. This was the bomb, which you shortly described before.

Levent Gök came, “Dear President you see the situation. There is a shelter, let’s go. It is not something wrong when we behave cautious. Then Oktay Vural came. He said “Dear President we believe in the end, if it comes we will die. Let’s take the measure, we can continue downstairs.” Ahmet İyimaya held me and said let’s go. This bomb may fall on us. So many people may die. We have to live and fight." Then I decided to go. I was thinking that there was such a hall downstairs.

DSP İzmir deputy Hakan Tartan was the Assembly Chief. He has an article. He was writing at the Assembly journal. “We have a shelter in the Assembly; we can stay there for a week without need anything. Everything is here excellent. There are

Photo: Mustafa Çakmakcı Place: GNAT Shelter

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exit points.” I think he didn’t go there. It is like a basement. There is a second room.

Kitchen storage and library storage and other storages of certain units. The reason why it is called shelter is the thick wall. The walls are thick. There is no water room, no health room. Even no toilets. Only one toilet. There is no meeting place. There is no order.

We continued our meeting in groups at different places. It was very affective that Bennur Karaburun moved from one place to another with her wheel chair. She denied our offer to move to somewhere more appropriate.

While ruling and opponent party deputies were sitting together, our ideas were different but sadness was Photo: Önder Yılmaz same, like Uğur Bayraktutan from CHP mentioned.

Place: GNAT Shelter We were following what was happening and were (From right; Mehdi Eker, Mehmet Ali Şahin, preparing the common declaration of four parties İsmail Kahraman, Erkan Akçay) which would be read the next day if the coup would be avoided. The declaration was prepared by Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman, former Speaker of Parliaments Mehmet Ali Şahin and Cemil Çiçek, AK PARTY Deputy Floor Leader İlknur İnceöz, AK PARTY Vice Chairman M. Mehdi Eker, CHP Deputy Floor Leader Özgür Özel, MHP Deputy Floor Leader Erkan Akçay and AK PARTY Ankara Deputy Aydın Ünal. Since four parties would sign it, all the opinions from four parties were taken.

Photo: Mihrimah Belma Satır Place: GNAT Shelter (From right; Radiye Sezer Katırcıoğlu, Oya Eronat, İlknur İnceöz, Ceyda Bölünmez Çankırı, Mihrimah Belma Satır, Ali Şahin)

We Will Write a Declaration, Is there a Venue?

While İsmail Kahraman was talking about that moment: I will open the Assembly tomorrow at 02.00 p.m. We need a joint declaration. Let’s go, do we have an appropriate place?

Is there a place where we can meet? Yes. Then bring a table, chair and paper and pencil.

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There was a sofa and a chair. …I called by name. The group deputy chairmen and Cemil Çiçek since he has experience. Cemil Çiçek stated I can do it but call Aydın Ünal. Ok. He came. I said let’s call Mehmet Ali Şahin. …Group Deputy Chairmen… İlknur İnceöz was there. I called Mehmet Muş. Then Mehdi Eker. If I saw you, I would call you. Why? Because it is literature. …Declaration work belonged to Aydın Ünal. He prepared the text.

Özgür Özel: Assembly general secretary came. Speaker of Parliament says we should come together and prepare a declaration. I found Levent Gök. He said "Özgür can you attend." There was a room in which workers change their clothes. The Speaker of Parliament was there. He invited the former Speakers of Parliament also. …Pencil and paper were brought. It was said that Cemil Çiçek should write it. He said "Aydın Ünal is better." He also made the text authorship of the President. First we told what should be included then we told the essential words.

Aydın Ünal: İlknur İnceöz called me, they were in a room. I was talking with a television program that moment. Then I went there. They said we will form a declaration can you write it?

Mehmet Muş: We went downstairs. We heard more intensive explosions and on the other hand everyone was following the process. We waited. Then we started to go to different places. It was about morning. Cemil Çiçek came and we went to a room. İsmail Kahraman called us as the group deputy chairmen. He said let’s make a statement for tomorrow on behalf of the Assembly. We started to study on the text. Aydın Ünal came, Cemil Çiçek was there, me, Özgür Özel, Erkan Akçay, Oktay Vural. I may be wrong in some names. We started to work and we formed a text and everyone agreed upon it. We read it the next day.

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Özgür Özel: Aydın Ünal did a well job. I wrote many declarations at the Turkish Pharmacy Association. The next day we were sitting with the HDP Deputy Floor Leader one

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hour before the session. It took its latest form with some suggestions of HDP and MHP. It was a draft, we wrote it on the computer. A deputy general secretary brought a small computer. Aydın Ünal read, it was written then it was read to us.

Photo: Kasım Bostan Place: GNAT Shelter

if they will be successful it will be an evidence if not it will be a great document.

(From right; Kasım Bostan, Aydın Ünal, Erol Kaya)

Ephemera…

Aydın Ünal: I wrote the declaration with a pencil. Group deputy chairmen said: let’s prepare such a declaration.

I cannot write with hand writing. I am used to use computer. It is hard for me to write with hand. Since I cannot concentrate, the text isn’t good. But that day with that excitement I wrote four pages with hand. Then we read it. Group deputy chairmen had some suggestions. We said let’s write it on the computer and make some corrections. We called a friend from the Assembly with a computer. We wrote it on the computer then we made corrections. I took the papers and put it in my pocket. I said to Özgür Özel “these are historical papers. I will keep them forever.” He mentioned something called “Ephemera”

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Özgür Özel: When everything was finished Aydın Ünal stated “I will keep that with your permission. I said it is called ephemera. It is used in pharmacy history. It means papers which gain value in time. If they will lose it will be a great document, if they will be successful it will be the annex of the accusation.”

I said “keep it well. If they will be unsuccessful we will do it together. If not we will be prison friends.”

While Aydın Ünal was placing the declaration in his pocket, Mr. Özgür said if they will be successful it will be an evidence if not it will be a great document.

Aydın Ünal: If they will be unsuccessful, it will be a valuable memory but if not it will be used as an evidence. He laughed. The judge may read it to us “did you write it?

After preparing the draft declaration, Speaker of Parliament took the draft and negotiated with the HDP authorities the next day.

Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman: Selahattin Demirtaş has called from Diyarbakır. “We are not coming or cannot come.” We will publish a common declaration. Will you participate? Yes of course.

Because they didn’t participate to 3 declarations before. The next day he called me at eleven and said “You told about a declaration, will we sign it without reading? No no I am sending it now and sent it to İdris Baluken. He demanded some word changes.

Photo: Özgür Özel Place: GNAT Shelter (From right; Oktay Vural, Erkan Akçay, Özgür Özel, Ahmet İyimaya, Aydın Ünal, Cemil Çiçek, Aykut Erdoğdu)

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1

2

3

4

5

Documents: Aydın Ünal

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I Was Up All Night Three Times During My Political Life We spent that night without sleeping. Nation was in front of the tanks, under bombs and bullets.

Except Ankara and İstanbul, citizens were in front of institutions which can support the coup. Some were watching TV and following the events. We had passed that night without sleeping. Nobody was thinking about to sleep.

Cemil Çiçek: I was up all night three times during my political life.

The first was in 1991 when America attacked Iraq. I was Minister of State. General Staff Necip Torun resigned. There was a chaos.

“Islam World lost its mind. Western World lost its heart.”

The second was on 27 April 2007. The anti democratic development and the process. Even the written and oral things didn’t reflect the truth and many lacking and false evaluations were made. When the day started again many heroes (!) came out. But it was not like that.

The third night was 15 July 2016.

Our nation doesn’t deserve it. Turkey cannot normalize. I remembered of a saying attributed to Muhammet İkbal “Islam World lost its mind. Western World lost its heart.” Traumas experienced every 7 years. There is no way except trust in God. Such mixed feelings.

Cemil Çiçek was explaining the related situation like that; it was the summary of the chaos. Özgür Özel: Cemil Çiçek said, when we said extraordinary situation, the Assembly hadn’t taken into account such a condition.

The deputies were shocked of being bombed by terrorists with uniforms by using the planes and helicopters of the nation. They wanted to be in communication always. The only equipment was cell phone. But it couldn’t be reached from time to time and connection problems were occurring. The sadness of not being able to communicate and the technological problems were together.

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LEVENT GÖK - the phone isn't working sometimes in the shelter. When we could talk we said that we were good but then another bomb came. We are talking about an Assembly which has been bombed for 8-10 times. Our families were thinking about us and had a big trauma.

NECDET ÜNÜVAR - they saw it live. My wife was sending me message from

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WhatsApp; “Doctor how are you?” “I am fine”… after the second and third message I called her and said “why are you sending me messages all the time?” she said “there is live broadcast. The Assembly is bombed."

Then I learned that Fox TV was broadcasting the bombing live.

From the eyes of Fox TV reporters of GNAT bombings moment

Özgür Özel: After the big explosion my daughter called. Then the leader called. My phone was busy. He wanted to get information from the phone of Mahmut Tanal. He asked “How are you? Where are you? What happened? It is a very bad picture here.” I said we are all well in the shelter. He asked about if we were injured. I replied No. Then he hang up.

Some deputies prefer to send messages instead of talking on the phone. These had different reasons…

Mustafa Yeneroğlu: I didn’t want that an emotional situation occurred on the phone. That’s why I didn’t want to talk on the phone and sent messages. Because we had to be more decisive than them.

Mom, I am Not Alone...

Some were taking photos and sending in order to show that they were well.

One of them was Belma Satır.

My son called me. He said “mom they are throwing bombs on the Assembly.” I said they are not bombs, they are sound bomb” in order to calm him down. Especially to give moral to my mom I sent a picture of me..

I tried to give the message “Mom I am not alone, we are all here with my friends and working.”

139 Photo: Mihrimah Belma Satır

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Deputies were getting the martyr news from television, internet and social media via their smart phones. They were really sad. Some of the relatives of deputies were martyred like Selcuk Özdag: Selcuk Özdag: My niece was on street upon the invitation of President. He was martyred by coup plotters. I learned that at about 05.00 a.m. in the morning.

Ohhh Erol Olçok Ohh! Erol Olçok was also martyred that night. Erol Olçok was integrated with AK PARTY but even people who had different ideas were very sad.

Funeral of Erol Olçok and his son

Before two weeks we made Umrah #EROLOLCOK insallah he past sinless to eternity. Rest in peace.

NECDET ÜNÜVAR - you were informed from outside. Did you have a relative or friend who martyred that night? At about half past two at night I learned that Erol Olçok was martyred.

Did you have a friend or relative who was martyred?

16 July 2016

Oh Erol oh..

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Our brother Erol left us in a deep sorrow he was a real man.Being a Martyr sweats him rest in peace.

ÖZGÜR ÖZEL - I told to Aykut Erdoğdu and Tekin Bingöl, I saw an interview of Tayyip Olçok in the Sunday annex of Yeni Şafak. A young person at the age of 16-17, who he was called Abdullah Tayyip, an important young. When they said Abdullah Tayyip Olçok died: I know him, he is the son of Erol Olçok.

He and his father were martyred together.

I said: it was like Berkin Elvan. Who was also died, as a little child, it is like that.

We have to succeed this: Abdullah Tayyip Olçok should be the martyr and

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also Berkin Elvan. There are genetic codes in both of them, he is in the name of our biggest political opponent: Abdullah Tayyip Olçok. The son the architecture of the election campaigns of AKP. He was on street that night for democracy; a 16 years old martyr. This was one of the most meaningful news.

Erol Olçok called Kahramanmaraş Deputy Mahir Ünal two times within two hours before he was martyred. Maybe Mahir Ünal was the last person he called. Imagine how Erol Olçok could have affected his 25 years friends while affecting so much people who even didn’t know him: As from 10.30 p.m., we learned about the coup attempt. At that time Erol Olçok called me. He asked what was happening. I said there was a coup attempt. He said “God may help us.”

Mr. Erol called me after one and half hour. He said "I am leaving." We all Oh Erol brother you are a Matyr like you have were on caution. I couldn’t have told to be him not to go. Then he went home.

Talked with his children. His son Inna lillah ve inna ileyhi raciun (From holy Quran: we came from god and end in god) Abdullah Tayyip said let’s go father… they went together. The group he met told to go to Kısıklı. But Erol Olçok said No let’s go to the bridge. I understood that he was the target since he directed the group. 45 minutes after he called me, his brother Cevat Olçok called me and said “We cannot get information about my brother” after a while the bad news came. He was martyred. This was very difficult.

After a while I got news about Abdullah Tayyip. He was also martyred. They were

They were martyred one time, I was demolished two.

martyred one time, I was demolished two.

The ones who martyred for this land didn’t have a party. We learned it afterwards but when Ömer Halisdemir was martyred, he did an excellent work. Özgür Özel wasn’t in an effort to politicize the subject while giving information about the relatives of Ömer Halisdemir.

The father of Ömer Halisdemir, Hüseyin, was one of the stable poles of CHP. His brother is the Niğde council delegate. We talked with them. The death of Ömer Halisdemir there, the death of a relative of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu at the hotel from which Recep Tayyip Erdoğan left… It is very meaningful that the people who died on July 15 don’t belong to a party and one is the relative of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu who was there in order to protect President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Some things gives us the messages which we cannot learn by reading thousands of pages..

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A long time passed till the morning in the shelter. ÖZGÜR ÖZEL - after a while Speaker of Parliament was asking if we should go. At that time another bomb exploded. Then he said, we got the answer, we cannot exit.

Interview of Nagehan Akbulut Varol

NECDET ÜNÜVAR - there were some speculations like “Deputies left the Plenary”.

I want that this should be registered. Any deputy didn’t leave the Assembly that night. ÖZGÜR ÖZEL - No, no any.

NECDET ÜNÜVAR - we were in the Assembly. I went out at about eight in the morning. We didn’t leave the Assembly.

The dark and long night ended. Deputies were sleepless, tired but stable. They realized the representation duty which was given by the nation to them. They were proud.

Ahmet İyimaya: I see to be at the Assembly that night is the most honorable thing. Thank to God. I think that the deputies who couldn’t come wished to be there.

Photo: Salim Uslu Place: GNAT Shelter

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I Prefer This Honorable Duty to 20 years Deputyship Ahmet Eşref Fakıbaba: That night was the most important night in my life. It was honorable to be in the Assembly that night. I prefer this honorable duty instead of a 20 years Deputyship.

İmran Kılıç: It is better to die with honor than to live with contempt.

Orhan Atalay: Our nation preferred to die with honor than to live with contempt that night.

What Avoided the Coup was that the Call of the President for people to take to the Streets There were many factors playing a role in avoiding the coup attempt. The pioneer was the leadership of our President, inviting people on streets and declaring that he would land on Atatürk Airport. Beside this, the wisdom of our Prime Minister, attitudes of CHP and MHP leaders, deputies who opened the Assembly, efforts shown by the security and military forces was worthy of note.

Prefer this honorable duty instead of a 20 years Deputyship.

İsmail Kahraman: The call of the president and the love felt for the President avoided the coup.

The key point here was: the invitation of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan people on streets.

Upon his invitation, the plane coming from Marmaris could land on Yeşilköy.

The people were standing in front of the tanks.

İlknur İnceöz: The video message of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on CNN Turk provided that people went on streets and the attempt had been avoided. At such critical moments, taking such decisions requires courage and this exists only in a leader.

16 July 2016

Dear Turkish Nation, This attempt in Ankara and İstanbul using the armered vehicles and guns of our nation is the same as 70’s.Honoured Tukish nation protect your democracy and peace.

Against the thought of suppressing our nation. I invite you to the streets.

RECEP TAYYİP ERDOĞAN

President Erdoğan’s phone call with the deputies

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Photo: Mihrimah Belma Satır Photo :Mihrimah Belma Satır Deputy floor leader İlknur İnceöz while signing the extraordinary GNAT meeting invitation in the shelter

…When coming to the heroism story written by our nation, the effort shown by everyone was very important. Everyone’s attitude against this attempt was clear.

The call of the president and the love felt for the President avoided the coup.

Which nation has the courage to stand before tanks without taking off their clothes? Who has the courage to be on the roof in order to avoid the planes or helicopters? …deputies without making any party difference were at the Assembly till the morning. This was the biggest answer to the coup plotters.

That the unity and sovereignty shown by the nation was also shown at the Ghazi Assembly. This was the indicator that the coup attempt was avoided.

Mehmet Muş: We are in the saddle but there are also other parties in the Assembly and each party has protected the representation given to him. MHP, CHP and we were there.

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…Think you hold the trust of a nation who stands before a tank. It would be false to except something else from the deputies of such a nation. While the nation was acting like this, if the Assembly showed a weak image, it would make our nation sad.

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Mehmet Mehdi Eker: As the nation July 15 was a milestone for us. We are Turkey, we are a whole. Our commons are more than our differences. We showed this again to everyone. Our nation wasn't defeated at the July 15th night.

Süleyman Soylu: We take even death into account

Another heavy slap has been thrown with the spiritual personality of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey to those who hasn’t recognized a nation which showed how independence can be won with a civil public movement.

Levent Gök: The importance of political parties, the value of them will be understood in the future. Because such an event was faced in Turkey for the first time. This is one of the things that ruined the motivation of the coup plotters.

The motivation of the coup plotters was ruined by the nation and deputies.

The value will be understood in the future. When we look at that table, we will see the photo. We were all there in order to pay a price.

Özgür Özel: I see that the message of the President, message of the 3 parties stating “We are holding this Assembly open, we are protecting Parliamentary democracy” as one of the most important facts which complete the statements of the leaders.

Citizens were giving duties to the deputies but were following them with question marks. That day citizens saw that deputies took even death into account for their country. Citizens got courage from Assembly, Assembly got courage from citizens.

Tekin Bingöl: Everyone saw that being on the squares was not an action belonging only to left or right.

Photo: Şevket Sarıcaoğlu CHP group floor leader Levent Gök’s leading Office

Documentary of 15th July

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Erkan Akçay: On July 15, Turkish Nation showed that it wasn’t artificial. Even if we hadn’t this democracy and government sense, we couldn’t put out this will.

Prime Minister Yıldırım’s explenation after the coup attempt

Deputies at the GNAT resisted against the coup without making any party difference. This attitude has been the symbol of standing against occupation. A base of reconciliation has been formed. This base has been crowned at the Yenikapı Meeting on 7 August with the participation of President Erdoğan and leaders of political parties.

To develop this base and atmosphere is the duty of the ruling party and all political actors and institutions.

Deputies at GNAT resisted against the coup without making any party difference.

When it was morning, deputies were tired but proud. Not only the day but also the future of Turkey was shining. When they saw the Assembly they were sad but there was a truth, despite so many bombs the GNAT didn’t give in. Deputies were proud of being a member of such a Assembly.

Fotoğraf: Mihrimah Belma Satır

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AK PARTİ Grup Başkanvekili İlknur İnceöz Meclis Başkanlığının TBMM’yi Olağanüstü Toplantıya Davet Tutanağını Sığınakta İmzalarken

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SOME CAPTIONS OF JULY 16-17, 2016 * 15 JULY STORY

Anadolu Agent’s agenda summery after the 15th July coup attempt

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* THERE IS NO POWER ABOVE THE POWER OF THE NATION

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* NO WAY FOR COUP

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* EXTRAORDINARY NIGHT

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* NATIONAL WILL SLAP TO FETO COUP

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* THE NATION PROTECTED THE DEMOCRACY

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* CELL PHONE INTERVENTION

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* PRESIDENT RECEP TAYYİP ERDOĞAN: THEY WILL PAY HARD

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* THE NATION WROTE A HISTORY

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* OUR NATION WROTE A STORY

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PART 4 16 JULY AND AFTERWARDS Turkey woke up to a very different morning on July 16. It will be false when we say “wake up” since it didn’t sleep. While the nation was on street, deputies were at the Assembly. Like citizens who weren’t afraid of tanks, they didn’t leave the Ghazi Assembly till the morning. The next day, the damage revealed. Damaged buildings, crushed vehicles, martyrs who were killed with the planes, helicopters of the nation… 247 martyrs! It is easy to say, 247. Everyone was so sad. Ghazi who took death into account… 2200 Ghazi who walked on the coup plotters by taking death into account… The nation was sad but proud of the victory.

70 million was in a deep sorrow...

The GNAT has realized its extraordinary meeting at 05.00 p.m. on July 16, Saturday.

Photo: GNAT Archive Extraordinary GNAT Plenary 16th July 2016, Time 05.00 p.m.

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Extraordinary Meeting of the GNAT

Extraordinary GNAT Plenary speech of Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman.

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The GNAT Plenary was opened with the stand in silence for the martyrs. After the national anthem, Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman read the national anthem as a poet. Deputies accompanied him. The Chief of the General Staff Hulusi Akar, Constitutional Court President Prof. Dr. Zühtü Arslan, President of the Court of Cassation İsmail Rüştü Cirit, Council of State President Zerrin Güngör, President of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Mehmet Görmez, Members of the Councıl of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), Higher Judicial Bodies members, YÖK Deputy Chairman Prof. Dr. Safa Kapıcıoğlu, university rectors, academicians, Turkish Union of Chambers and Exchange Commodities President Rıfat Hısarcıklıoğlu, Turkey Union of Chamber of Merchants’ and Craftsmen President Bendevi Palandöken, TÜRK-İŞ Union President Ergün Atalay, Turkey Employer Union Confederation President Cengiz Delibaş, MEMUR-SEN President Ali Yalçın, HAK-İŞ President Mehmet Şahin, Turkey Chamber of Ağrıculture President Şemsi Bayraktar, representatives of diplomatic missions in Ankara and many citizens attended the meeting.

Photo: GNAT Archive At the Extraordinary GNAT Plenary Chief of General Staff Hulusi Akar 16th July 2016, Time 05.00 p.m.

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Speaker of Parliament Kahraman underlined that they were as one man during the coup attempt and thanked everyone who attended this meeting. Kahraman stated that very sad hours had passed and mentioned that “we are now facing a beautiful table of the July 15 democracy feast. We hope that this unity and sovereignty will continue.”

“There are people who want to ruin the human resources, material and non material powers, potential and acquis on the development and strengthening way of Turkey with in fights and safety problems. Unfortunately we faced a coup attempt last night. But our political parties, nongovernmental organizations, government institutions, Turkish Armed Forces, our nation and Ghazi Assembly, deputies resisted with tenacity and courage and didn’t let them to be successful also with the help of God. “ Speaker of Parliament Kahraman had reminded that many public institutions including the Assembly were damaged and the GNAT was bombed.

Photo: GNAT archive President of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Mehmet Görmez at the extraordinary meeting. 16th July 2016, 05.00 p.m.

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Kahraman stated that deputies, authorities, group deputy chairmen of AK PARTY, CHP and MHP gathered together the previous night.

Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım's Speech at the extra rdinary Pleanary at GNAT.

Kahraman stated that the common text of the four parties in the Assembly would be read and expressed his condolence wishes to the officers and civil citizens who had died and wished the injured a quick recovery.

AK PARTY Leader and Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım has stated that the GNAT had its hardest, longest and most problematic night after 23 April 1920. He mentioned that “the occupation forces came until Polatlı but they couldn’t touch this Assembly. The ones, who made a coup in 1960, couldn’t ruin the body of the Assembly. The 12 September juntas didn’t bomb the Assembly. The 28 February coup plotters didn’t touch the Assembly but last night the attack was criminally. They targeted both the spirit and body of the Assembly "they are not soldiers, they are terrorist in uniforms."

Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım stated in his speech in the Assembly that, I greet my nation who occupied the streets against the ones demanding the national will from under the roof of this Assembly, I am very proud of being a son of such a hero nation.”

162 Photo: GNAT Archive Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım - 16th July 2016, 05.00 p.m.

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Yıldırım thanked to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for hic calm attitude, political parties, leaders of the parties, Assembly groups for their cooperation. Yıldırım stated that deputies came to the Assembly on that night by avoiding the tanks and bullets and he mentioned: You were here by saying “either democracy or death.” They threw bombs, they shot with guns, and you were still here. I knew that you all felt death very close. You were a sample to the World Assemblies, world democracies. While the nation was on streets, you were here protecting the democracy, national will. The history wrote this Assembly again. You changed the history of Turkey. You showed cooperation, brotherhood which wouldn’t be forgotten for years. After our nation, the biggest praise comes to the Ghazi Assembly. Without making any Party discrimination I greet every member of the Assembly and present my gratitude.

Prime Minister Yıldırım wanted to place a note to the history and stated “After 50, 100, 1000 years, the end of the ones who want to gather round this nation will be the same. Any coup or attempt wouldn' be left unpunished and won’t be from now on. Nobody can think to ruin the home of the nation. We showed our contribution to the World.

CHP Leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu: It was a coup attempt. An attack to our Republic, democracy, historical saving.

We are condemning the attack made to democracy on behalf of my group, all masses voting for us, citizens of Turkish Republic. We have also paid heavy costs for democracy. Remember; heavy costs always happen after coups. The thing that last night happened was a coup attempt.

Photo: GNAT Archive

Speech of CHP Leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu at the GNAT Plenary Meeting

163 Extraordinary Plenary Meeting, CHP Leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu - 16th July 2016

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Kılıçdaroğlu stated that everyone was sad but this provided the meeting at a common point which should be realized from the very beginning. This common point was dependence to republic and democracy. Kılıçdaroğlu mentioned that: developing democracy is our common point. This gives us proud and honor. But we will continue to say this not only with our language but also with our heart.

Photo: GNAT Archive

Speech of MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli at the GNAT Plenary Meeting

Extraordinary Plenary Meeting, MHP Leader Devlet Bahçeli - 16th July 2016

MHP Leader Devlet Bahçeli has stated that “What happened yesterday is a coup attempt but at the same time a bloody terrorist attack. This attack has been realized by a small group within the Turkish soldiers. Democracy was about to die. The Ghazi Assembly has been bombed. This is the point where words remain insufficient.

Devlet Bahçeli has stated that it is malice that the Assembly has been bombed, tanks were on the streets. Such madness wasn’t realized during the National Struggle years. In the occupation years of the Turkish nation, nobody could dare to make such feloniousness. Each bomb at the Ghazi Assembly has touched the 79 million Turkish citizens and exploded in the heart of national hearts.

MHP leader Bahçeli has completed his speech with his get well soon wishes and mentioned that he wishes everyone has learned the necessary lesson from this coup attempt.

HDP Deputy Floor Leader Idris Baluken has stated that “Turkish nation hasn’t given credit to a coup ever, and won’t do it.”

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Baluken has stated that there was a coup attempt and as HDP they are condemning it with the hardest manner. Baluken has underlined that any military, bureaucratic and civil coup couldn’t have any reason and their attitudes towards any attack against the Assembly and national will is clear and principled.

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Photo: GNAT Archive Speech of Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım to the citizens from the GNAT Honor gate - 16th July 2016

Speech of Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım to the citizens from the GNAT Honor gate

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The GNAT Joint Declaration The GNAT Joint Declaration has been published with the signatures of Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman, AK PARTY Leader and Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım, CHP Leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, MHP Leader Devlet Bahçeli and HDP Deputy Floor Leader Idris Baluken. The Joint declaration has been read

by Speaker of Parliament Kahraman at the GNAT Plenary.

JOINT DECLARATION OF THE GRAND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF TURKEY Joint Declaration of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey We, the Justice and Development Party, Republican People's Party, Peoples' Democratic Party and Nationalist Movement Party, condemn in the strongest terms the attempted coup d'Etat against our beloved nation, the national will, our State (particularly against members of parliament representing the national will), the Ghazi Assembly; and we condemn the attacks against the Assembly which began on the night of 15 July and were quashed by the morning of 16 July.

Our nation stood against and thwarted this bloody coup attempt in a way which set an example to the whole world. This beloved nation, which protected the Republic of Turkey and its institutions at the cost of its life, deserves every praise and appreciation. We, the whole nation, are grateful to the martyrs who gave their lives for this cause and we will never forget these heroes.

The Grand National Assembly of Turkey, in its capacity as the representative of this beloved and brave nation and acting with the authority given to it by the nation, fulfilled its duty under attack from bombs and bullets, and demonstrated, once again, that it is a parliament worthy of the nation.

It should be remembered that the GNAT led the Independence War, ensured Turkey's transition to democracy, developed the democratic parliamentary system, and fought to raise the nation out of destitution and poverty to make it a member of modern civilization.

Our Assembly stood, with one heart as a single body against the coup with great courage and dignity. It provided the necessary response to the coup plotters, and the necessary message to the world.

The resolve shown by the GNAT against this sinister attempted coup d'Etat is of great value to the further cementing and development of democracy in Turkey.

Everyone should know that any future attempt of aggression against our nation, the national will, or the Ghazi Assembly will run up against the GNAT’s steely resolve, as it has done today.

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The GNAT will continue to reflect the nation's unwavering belief in democracy.

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The original text of the declaration in which it is stated “As AK PARTY, CHP and MHP, we condemn the coup attempt and attacks towards the Assembly which started on July 15 night and ended on July 16 morning targeting the nation, national will, government and deputies.” as follows:

The resistance of all party groups in the Assembly to the coup attempt through a united position and with one voice is truly significant and will put its stamp on history. This united position and single voice will further strengthen our nation and national will.

The Grand National Assembly of Turkey is at work with one heart.

The National Assembly, will make those who staged such an attack against the nation and its sovereignty pay the heaviest price within the boundaries of the law.

This joint declaration is the most tangible proof that nothing will ever be the same in Turkey.

Despite our differences, we, all four political parties, stand by the national will with all our MPs and our entire organizations, and protect and shall protect the national forever.

Our nation should rest assured.

The Assembly and deputies of the Nation did not let fall and will not let fall what was entrusted to them by the nation.

Once again, we condemn in the strongest terms the attack against our democracy, our nation and the GNAT, which embodies the national will. We ask our people to avoid any act of violence, which goes beyond the limits of democratic reaction and does not befit our country.

We remember with respect, gratitude and mercy our martyrs who fell while resisting the coup. We wish a speedy recovery to those wounded and to our nation.

We avail ourselves of this opportunity to salute all brotherly and friendly countries which stood by Turkey and our nation and conveyed messages of support in these difficult times.

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LIST OF GNAT VISITORS 18.07.2016

The GNAT visit of YOK President Yekta Saraç and Rector

19.07.2017

The GNAT visit of Georgia Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikaşvili

20.07.2016

The GNAT visit of The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) President, NGO President and Members

20.07.2016

The GNAT visit of Union of Bars of Turkey

20.07.2016

The GNAT visit of Religious Affairs President Mehmet Görmez and 81 Provincial Muftis

20.07.2016

The GNAT visit of Macedonia Turkish Democratic Party (TDP) President Dr. Kenan Hasip

20.07.2016

The GNAT visit of England EU President Alan Duncan

21.07.2016

The GNAT visit of 11th President Abdullah Gül

22.07.2016

The GNAT visit of Kirghizia Republic Speaker of Parliament Cinibay Tursunbekov

22.07.2016

The GNAT visit of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

25.07.2016

The GNAT visit of The Chief of the General Staff Hulusi Akar and Commanders in chief of armed forces

25.07.2016

The GNAT visit of Alevi Culture Association General Manager Doğan Demir Alevi Bektasi Federation President Baki Duzgun, Pir Sultan Abdal Association General Manager Gani Kaplan and Hacı Bektas Veli Anatolian Culture Association General Manager Ercan Gecmez

25.07.2016

The GNAT visit of TRNC Prime Minister Hüseyin Özgürgün

25.07.2016

The GNAT visit of Turkish Parliamentary Association President Nevzat Pakdil and Board Members

27.07.2016

The GNAT visit of İstanbul Unity Association Founders and Turkey Volunteer Organization President

27.07.2016

The GNAT visit of Kosovo Minister of Public Administration and Democratic Turkish Party President Mahir Yağcılar

29.07.2916

The GNAT visit of PABSEC General Secretary Asaf Hacıyev

02.08.2016

The GNAT visit of Journalist Organizations

01.08.2016

The GNAT visit of USA Chief of Defense Joseph Dunford

01.08.2016

The GNAT visit of TUSIAB Azerbaijan Turkish Industrialist and Businessmen Beynelhalk Association Board Chairman Celil Polat

02.08.2016

The GNAT visit of foreign press

03.08.2016

The GNAT visit of EC General Secretary Thorbjorn Jagland The GNAT visit of Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen (TESK) President Bendevi Palandoken and Council of Management-Audit Councils and Professional Training Councils

03.08.2016

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04.08.2016

The GNAT visit of Ruanda Ankara Ambassador Williams Nkurunzıza

04.08.2016

The GNAT visit of Kosovo Mamusa Mayor Arif Butuc

04.08.2016

The GNAT visit of PUIC General Secretary Prof. Dr. Mahmut Erol Kılıç

09.08.2016

The GNAT visit of Religious Affairs President Mehmet Görmez and Caucasus Muşlims Administration President Shayk al Islam Allahsukur Pasazade

10.08.2016

The GNAT visit of Kuwait Ankara Ambassador Abdullah Abdulazeez Al-Duwaikh

11.08.2016

The GNAT visit of Palestine minister of Foreign Affairs Riad Malki

15.08.2016

The GNAT visit of EU Countries Ambassadors

16.08.2016

The GNAT visit of OSCEPA President Christine Muttoren

17.08.2016

The GNAT visit of TRNC President Mustafa Akıncı

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18.08.2016

The GNAT visit of Pakistan Senate and National Assembly Deputy Council

18.08.2016

The GNAT visit of Islam World Civil Organizations Institutions

19.08.2016

The GNAT visit of Turkish Council General Secretary Ambassador Ramil Hasanov

22.08.2016

The GNAT visit of USA European Commander of Forces General Curis Michael Scaparrotti

22.08.2016

The GNAT visit of Lithuania Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevicius

23.08.2016

The GNAT visit of Hungary Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Commerce Peter Szijarto

23.08.2016

The GNAT visit of Moldovia Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Andrei Galbur

23.08.2016

The GNAT visit of Saudi Arabia Ankara Ambassador Adel Siraj Saleh Merdad

24.08.2016

The GNAT visit of USA Vice President Joe Biden

24.08.2016

The GNAT visit of Iran Kurd Regional Management President Mesut Barzani

24.08.2016

The GNAT visit of EP Foreign Relations Committee President Elmar Brok and EP Turkey Reporter Kati Piri

24.08.2016

The GNAT visit of Estonia Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Council Ministry Council Period President Marina Kaljurand

25.08.2016

The GNAT visit of Bulgaria Liability, Freedom and Tolerance Party leader Lutvi Mestan

25.08.2016

The GNAT visit of Inter Parliamentary Jerusalem Platform President Sheikh Hamid El-Ahmar

25.08.2016

The GNAT visit of Academician Council coming from India and Pakistan

25.08.2016

The GNAT visit of Romania and Polonia Minister of Foreign Affairs

25.08.2016

The GNAT visit of Slovakia Minister of Foreign Affairs Mirsolav Lajcak

29.08.2016

The GNAT visit of Netherlands Minister of Foreign Affairs

31.08.2016

The GNAT visit of United Nation Political Affairs vice Chairman Jeffrey Feltman

01.09.2016

The GNAT visit of United National Vice General Secretary Flippo Grandi

01.09.2016

The GNAT visit of Qatar Attorney General Ali Bin Fetais Al Marri,Qatar Ambassador Salem Mubarak Al Shafi

01.09.2016

The GNAT visit of International Assembly Assemblies Presidents

01.09.2016

The GNAT visit of EP President Martin Schulz

02.09.2016

The GNAT visit of EP Parliamentary Council President Pedro Agramunt

08.09.2016

The GNAT visit of Japan Space Policies Minister of State Yosuke Tsuruho

09.09.2016

The GNAT visit of NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg

09.09.2016

The GNAT visit of EU Foreign Affairs and Safety Policy Senior Representative Deputy Chairman Federica Mogherini and commissar responsible from Neighborhood Policies and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn

20.09.2016

The GNAT visit of European Regional Council President Pande Özsan Bozatli

26.09.2016

The GNAT visit of Foreign Media

29.06.2016

The GNAT visit of Saudi Arabia Culture and Information Minister Adel el Hureyfi

24.10.2016

The GNAT visit of Palestine Minister of State Mahmud Abbas

26.09.2016

The GNAT visit of Foreign Media

29.09.2016

The GNAT visit of Saudi Arabia Culture and Information Minister Adel el Hureyfi

24.10.2016

The GNAT visit of Palestine Minister of State Mahmud Abbas

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Visit of President Erdoğan to the GNAT

GNAT Visit of President Erdoğan

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited the GNAT on July 22, 2016. Erdoğan welcomed with a ceremony by İsmail Kahraman. Erdoğan walked to the place of the Speaker of Parliament with applauses of the deputies and Assembly staff. Erdoğan afterwards examined the bombed parts of the Assembly and made a speech in the Ceremony Hall. Erdoğan stated that he as made mutual evaluations with Speaker of Parliament Kahraman and mentioned that, When I saw the condition of the Assembly building, I got very sad. It is not possible that these attackers are the children of this nation. They are terrorists with uniforms.

170 Photo: GNAT Archive President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's GNAT Plenary visit - 22nd July 2016

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Thank God they couldn’t get the expected result. Because they thought that they knew religion but they weren’t aware of something. This is “Ve mekerü ve mekerallah vallahu hayrıl makirin.” They forgot that the biggest account owner is God. They demanded coordinates according to them but it didn’t work. You came and shot the Assembly. This is the Assembly of the nation. Now you tried to shoot the representatives of the nation. You tried to shoot the nation.

Erdoğan has stated that the situation he saw in the GNAT is a sample for the world and continued: If West says that it believes in democracy, it shouldn’t condemn within parenthesis.

We will send the photos and videos of the table formed by Foreign Affairs to them.

Then I think they won’t call a President elected with the votes of the nation as dictator.”

Photo: Haydar Aktaş Place: The GNAT Ceremony Hall President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s GNAT visit - 22nd July 2016

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Visit of Council of Higher Education President Yekta Saraç and Rectors to the GNAT Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman has welcomed YOK President Prof. Dr. Yekta Saraç and rectors at the GNAT ceremony hall. The joint declaration prepared by all of the rectors in Turkey has been read by Prof. Dr. Saraç.

Kahraman has thanked YOK and universities for their support and stated that “On July 15, our government has faced an attack. A group has attacked against the national values, has realized a coup attempt.

Kahraman has mentioned that it has been seen that it is impossible to make a coup in Turkey and the 15 July coup attempt is the 17th attempt in Turkey.

Kahraman has mentioned that in coups and coup attempt, the Assembly hasn’t been touched and even in wars some places were protected. But it wasn’t thought that the Assembly could be bombed. While the recovery process starts, we will move according to the law. The responsible will be punished. Kahraman talked about what happened on the July 15 night at the Assembly: Kahraman has stated that a common declaration has been signed by four parties, “our ideas may be different but we are together when flag, country, unity, freedom, democracy is mentioned.” We have to spread around the democracy culture. The dominance shouldn’t be in the hands of an armed power, group or team. Dominance belongs to nation.

Those who don’t accept it, must accept it.

172 Photo: GNAT Archive President of the Council of Higher Education Prof. Dr. Yekta Saraç and chancellors GNAT visit - 18thJuly 2016

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Visit of Union of Bars of Turkey to the GNAT Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman has welcomed Union of Turkish Bar Association President Metin Feyzioglu and the other bar presidents.

Speaker of Parliament Kahraman has stated that a sad event has been experienced and this gave us a lesson. Kahraman has mentioned that Turkey experienced several coups in its history, each time democracy has developed. In each part of the world a price is paid for coming to a certain point, and the situation in Turkey is the same.

Speaker of Parliament Kahraman has stated that Turkey has 140 years of Parliamentary experience; after passing on a multiple party life in 1950, 16 coups have been realized and this is the 17th one. He mentioned that “I hope that this would be the last one and the unity and sovereignty shown by the nation has proved it.”

Turkish Union of Bar Association President Metin Feyzioglu has stated that the GNAT has faced a big crisis and expressed his get well wishes on behalf of 100 thousand lawyers.

173 Photo: GNAT Archive Union of Turkish Bar associations GNAT visit - 20th July 2016

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Visit of Director of Religious Affairs Mehmet Görmez and 81 Provincial Muftis to the GNAT Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman has welcomed the Religious Affairs President Mehmet Görmez and 81 provincial muftis.

President of Religious Affairs Mehmet Görmez and 81 provincial muftis visited İsmail Kahraman due to the attack on July 15.

Görmez has stated that they came in order to express their get well wishes to the nation and that the nation has got over a big crisis with the help of the God. For this reason he thanks God and the Ghazi Assembly is Ghazi for the second time Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman has stated that law will be adopted. The responsible will be punished. 15 July is a big event from which big lessons should be learned. At this point the importance of education can be seen again.

Kahraman has mentioned that when he heard the plane noises and saw that Bosphoros Bridge (Boğaziçi) was closed, he performed his ablution and went to the Assembly. “Where does the captain stay? In the ship. First mice ran away from the ship. Unfortunately there are mice but captains are more. Everyone came from AK PARTY, CHP, and MHP. Only HDP didn’t come. But the leader Deputy Floor Leader called and said “We are not coming so that provocation won’t happen. Count us as there. We will come tomorrow to the extraordinary meeting.” Four parties published a joint declaration.

174 Photo: GNAT Archive President of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Mehmet Görmez and 81 city mufties GNAT visit - 20th July 2016

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Visit of 38 Non Governmental and Professional Institution Representatives to the GNAT Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman has welcomed TOBB President Rifat Hısarcıklıoğlu and 30 nongovernmental and professional organization representatives.

Kahraman has stated that Turkey has faced a very big crisis and an event from which many lessons should be learned has been realized. He mentioned he opened the Assembly that night and underlined that ports are the safest places for ships but they are designed for oceans, it was impossible to stay at the side.

Kahraman has stated that the Fetullah Terror Organization attack hasn’t been realized within the command element. He mentioned that “Who are you? If it would be within the command element, would we say yes? No. army should be in the barrack. The nation needs the government and government needs the army. They have an excellent history but they wanted to stain it. The world is afraid of Tayyip Erdoğan.

They want to eliminate people who are not in their direction rule the government.

The joint declaration of NGOs has been read by Hısarcıklıoğlu. Hısarcıklıoğlu has stated that NGOs won’t exist without democracy and law state.

Photo: GNAT Archive 38 non governmental organizations GNAT visit - 20th July 2016

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Visit of 11th President Abdullah Gül to the GNAT 11th President Abdullah Gül came to the Assembly and visited Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman.

Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım, CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the GNAT Deputy Chairman Pervin Buldan, Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli, Minister of Justice Bekir Bozdağ, CHP Deputy Floor Leader Levent Gök and MHP Deputy Floor Leader Erkan Akçay were ready at the visit.

Gül has expressed his get well wishes and stated that nobody could imagine that the Assembly would be bombed planned. The cooperation of CHP, MHP, HDP and everyone was a great honor for Turkey. Gül has stated that the stable dialogue of the ruling and opponent partes will be the solution of this crisis and added: Different ideas are the fundamentals of democracy but dialog is the fundamental of democracy. I follow the statements of Prime Minister with admiration. Also the statements of our Speaker of Parliament. After facing such a shame, protecting the country, land, democracy decreases our sadness a little bit. The Assembly wasn’t bombed ever. In the dark days, we haven’t experienced such things

11th President Gül has stated that it was a sample attitude of President Erdoğan, Prime Minister Yıldırım and Speaker of Parliament Kahraman to gather the Assembly and other political parties in avoiding the attempt; Turkey will return to its normal days, the current structuring dialog among parties gives that sign. He stated that the President and Prime Minister and everyone are doing their best and expressed his condolence wishes.

176 Photo: Haydar Aktaş GNAT Plenary Hall 21st July 2016 (From right; Nurettin Cenikli, Pervin Buldan, İsmail Kahraman, Abdullah Gül, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, Bekir Bozdağ, Erkan Akçay, Levent Gök)

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Visit of Chief of the General Defense Staff Hulusi Akar and Force Commander to the GNAT The Chief of the General Staff Hulusi Akar who said stop to the terrorists in uniform and Commanders in Chief of Armed Forces visited Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman.

Speaker of Parliament Kahraman has stated that the coup period in Turkey is closed and it is a very beautiful thing that our nation protects the system and adopts democracy. He underlined that our country with 80 million populations cannot be controlled with a coup.

Kahraman has stated that after he heard the plane voices, he performed ablution and went to the Assembly. The most effective event was that our President called the nation on the streets. There are losses also in the Armed Forces but our country will heal its wounds as soon as possible.

The Chief of the General Staff Hulusi Akar has stated that “It made us, members of Turkish Armed Forces, really sad that terrorists with soldier uniforms realized this attack. This is a disgrace in the history of the Turkish Armed Forces. The Chief of the General Staff Akar and Commander in chief of Armed Forces then examined the damaged part of the Assembly.

Photo: GNAT Archive Acceptance of Chief of General Staff and others 24th July 2016 (From right; Org. İbrahim Yaşar, Abidin Ünal, Salih Zeki Çolak, İsmail Kahraman, Hulusi Akar, Bülent Bostanoğlu, Yaşar Güler)

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Georgia Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili 19th July 2016

178 England EU Minister Alan Duncan 20th July 2016

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Kırghizia Republic Speaker of Parliament Cinibay Tursunbekov 22nd July 2016

179 TRNC Prime Minister Hüseyin Özgürgün 25th July 2016

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Cosova Public Administration Minister and Democratic Turkish Party leader Mahir Yagcilar 27th July 2016

180 USA Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunfort 1st August 2016

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European Council General Secretary Thorbjorn Jagland 3rd August 2016

181 Caucasus Muşlims Administration President Shayk al Islam Allahsukur 9th August 2016

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Palestine Minister of Foreign Affairs Riad el-Malik 11th August 2016

182 Ambassadors of EU Countries 15th August 2016

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OSCEPA President Christine Muttonen 16th August 2016

183 The letter sent by the GNAT to OSCEPA Presidency and its answer after the coup attempt

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TRNC President Mustafa Ak覺nc覺 17th August 2016

184 Pakistan Senate and National Assembly Deputy Board 18th August 2016

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Lithuania Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevicius 22nd August 2016

185 USA Vice President Joe Biden 24th August 2016

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Iraq Kurd Regional Management President Mesut Barzani 24th August 2016

186 Interparliamentary Head of Parliamentarians for Jerusalem Hamid Bin Abdullah el Ahmar 25th August 2016

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Netherlands Minister of Foreign Affairs Bert Koenders 29th August 2016

187 President of European Parliament Martin Schluz 1st September 2016

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Japan Space Policies Minister Yosike Tsuruho 8th September 2016

188 NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg 9th September 2016

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Saudi Arabia Culture and Information Minister Adel el Hureyfi 29th September 2016

189 Palestine Minister of State Mahmud Abbas 24th October 2016

Democracy and Martry Meeting - YenikapĹ Square, 7th August 2016 Democracy and Martyr Meeting –Yeni Kapi Square, August 7, 2016

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DEMOCRACY AND MARTYR MEETING 7 August 2016 Sunday Yenikapı-ISTANBUL Three weeks after the coup attempt, on August 7, Democracy and Martyr Meeting has been organized at Yenikapı Meeting Place. The meeting has been registered in the history as the most crowded meeting. The democracy and martyr meeting gathered together all people from different ideas for the sake of land.

7 August Democracy and Martyr Meeting Invitation

Democracy and Martyr Meeting has started after the arrival of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman, AK PARTY leader and Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım, CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli and The Chief of the General Staff Hulusi Akar with stand in silence and national anthem.

Prayer of the Director of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Mehmet Görmez at the August 7th Democracy and Martyr Meeting Amen.

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Basmala.

Elhamdulillahi rabbülalemin, vel akibetü lil muttakin. Vela udvane illa alez zalimin.

Vessalatu vesselamu ala resulina Muhammedin ve ala alihi sahbihi ecmain.

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Our High God, give us mercy for that excellent unit table.

Dear God we are here at Yenikapı from 81 different cities with all of our colors, tones, differences. We are opening our hands. Please accept our prayers.

Dear God you protected this country, this nation from many dangers. We are very praising since you saved us on the 15th of July night. Please accept it.

Dear God, we are here as the full nation. Rest all the martyrs in peace who died that night for their nation. May they rest in peace with the Bedir and Uhud, Malazgirt, Çanakkale martyrs, War of Liberty, Sakarya martyrs.

Prayer of Mehmet Görmez at Yenikapı 7 August 2016

Dear God give patience to the families, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, and wives, husbands of the martyrs and to the nation.

Dear God give quick recoveries to all of the Ghazi who carry their wounds on their body like a freedom medal.

Dear God don’t let this nation without freedom, liberty.

Dear God, don’t let this nation without azan, land, flag

President of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Mehmet Görmez Yenikapı Meeting - 7th August 2016

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Dear God, don’t forgive those realized this betrayal. Don’t give opportunity to those betrayal organization which played with our feelings, took our charities, children.

Dear God, our nation calls the army as Prophet Heart. Protect our army called Prophet Heart from every kind of danger.

Dear God, protect everyone from Asia to Africa from Gaza to Bosnia Herzegovina who cried, prayed for us on July 15 night.

Dear God, protect this nation from dangers, from malignment.

Dear God, this should be our unity milestone. Open new gates to our nation at Yenikapı. Dear God, our goodness gates, peace gates, justice gates should always be open.

Dear God, please don’t put anger between the hearts of our citizens. Combine our hearts as from now on till the end on this heaven country.

Dear God, give us strength while fighting with them. Despite the cruelties, don’t separate us from justice. Don’t separate us from justice as the nation. (Amen voices). Don’t make us move with anger and revenge. Punish the betrayers dear God. Despite the malignment, don’t separate us from goodness. Provide that the administrators of the nation work for freedom and future of this country till the end.

Amen and selamun alel murselin ve Elhamdulillahi rabbülalelmin el Fatiha.

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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has stated that “my dear brothers, sisters, my nation who didn’t give this country to the Fetullah Terror Organization on the July 15 Night, I greet you with my best wishes.”

Erdoğan has mentioned that Turkish nation is a different nation and added: Like our ancestors who fought for the last drop of their blood in Çanakkale, we avoided the Feto terror organization on 15 July with the same will. A similar belief of Ghazi Mustafa Kemal in the Liberty War was in cities in Turkey on July 15..

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Yenikapı Meeting - 7th August 2016

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The parties are clear. On one hand the Republic of Turkey and on the other hand the terror organizations. There are dark powers behind them. People who are beside their government, state, right and reality are here at Yenikapı. Greetings from here to 81 cities. Greeting from here to 79 million.

Geldiğimiz noktada saflar gayet net. Bir tarafta tüm kurumlarıyla, tüm siyasi partileriyle, tüm kesimleriyle Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Devleti vardır, diğer tarafta ise kimi etnik istismar, kimi dini istismar, kimi ideolojik sapkınlık içinde olan terör örgütleri vardır. Onların arkasındaki karanlık güçler vardır. Devletinden, milletinden, haktan ve hakikatten yana olan herkes bugün burada, Yenikapı’dadır. Buradan 80 vilayete selam olsun. Buradan 79 milyona selam olsun.

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Yenikapı Speech of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

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Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman

Yenikapı speech of İsmail Kahraman

The deranged ones bombed the heart of the nation.

They bombed the Assembly.

Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman has stated in his speech that the Ghazi Assembly has shown a great resistance against the coup and deserved the second Ghazi title. Kahraman mentioned that he was proud of the formation of full unity.

We are here today in order to commemorate the 15 July martyrs and celebrating the victory against the coup. We are here to announce to the whole world that we buried the coup plotters into the history under our flag with single state, single government, and single land feelings.

Grand National Assembly of Turkey is the only Assembly having the Ghazi title. Even it was holiday; on 15 July the Assembly was opened immediately. We hold it open the whole night. The next day we made an extraordinary meeting and published a joint declaration with the signatures of four parties. Parties have announced that they are against the coup, beside the democracy to the world. Our Assembly has gained the Ghazi title for the second time. The deranged ones bombed the heart of the nation. They bombed the Assembly.

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Chairman of the Justice and Development (AK PARTY), Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım

Yenikapı speech of Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım

Instead of living dishonest on the land, we prefer to lay under the ground honestly.

AK PARTY Leader, Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım has stated that the nation has written a resistance story against the coup attempt of FETO (F. Gülenist Terrorist Organization/The Parallel State Structure (PSS)). Yıldırım added: Planes were flying above us, tanks occupied the streets, and terrorists spitted blood with guns. Our president, commander invited people on streets. Azan was recited throughout Turkey. This nation in Ankara, İstanbul, İzmir, in 81 cities said “Instead of living dishonest on the land, we prefer to lay under the ground honestly.” This nation which wrote a story in the Çanakkale, Liberty War wrote the 15 July story with the same spirit.

Thank God, thanks to the martyrs, we can live together on this land independently.

Each attack which doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.

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They occupied these lands hundreds of years ago but we were born as a single state, single nation. The ones who thought that they will do wrong to us were mistaken.

They didn’t took into account this excellent table. We will carry Turkey into its 2023 aims with our nation, political parties, civil societies, leadership. Turkish-Kurdish, alevi-sunni cooperation, brotherhood will develop more.

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Chairman of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu

Speech of CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu

You wrote history.

CHP Leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has thanked Speaker of Parliament İsmail Kahraman who opened the Assembly that night. Kılıçdaroğlu has stated that the GNAT is a Ghazi Assembly managing the Liberty War added: The GNAT has worked till the morning and has protected the honor of deputies and the nation. The leaders and deputies of four political parties have showed their reaction against the coup. They signed the democracy declaration together.

CHP Leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has stated that when we ask how and why we are at this point then the diagnosis can be made correctly, and the therapy will be succesfull. Kılıçdaroğlu has mentioned that the nation defended democracy by taking a shelter in front of the tanks during the coup attempt.

You wrote a history. You made Turkey gain a history. Not only coup but also we have to deny all custodies on the democracy. Democracy is the national will. We have to end all kind of shadows over the national will. We should be on our way with this tenacity. So we are saying “Neither coup, nor dictate, Yes full democracy!.

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Chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Devlet Bahçeli

Speech of MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli

I am proud of you.

MHP Leader Devlet Bahçeli has stated that “Turkey starts a new journey with all its beauty from Yenikapı.” Turkish nation is protecting its fate. I am proud of you. Bahçeli has mentioned that FETO which bombed the GNAT, security and information institutions, killed innocent citizens is the most meanness. Bahçeli added that the nation was full of courage against the games played to them and defended brotherhood.

Bahçeli has stated that a terrorist looking like a hodja gave the “shoot order” to its terrorist from Pennsylvania. The member of FETO terror organization turned the guns of the nation to the nation again and used the facilities of the nation and wanted to realize a death blow.

Who would accept that cerement as fate? Who would accept all these? They wanted us to sentence to a dark night, you objected. They wanted to stole your will, you denied. You laid in front of the tank. You walked on bullets like walking on a rose garden. Because you are the Turkish Nation. Because you are Turkey. You are the inheritors of an excellent history.

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Bahçeli has stated that the Turkish nation is aware of the scenarios and enemies who look like a friend.

He added: This country won’t fall with the preaches of three five terrorists; this land belongs to those who are standing like mountains in the land. The flags are flags with the

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blood on it. The soil is a land if there are people who died for it. The soil on which we live is land. It is mixed with clean martyr blood.

Bahçeli continued that he demands to open a new page. The map of future should be drawn by protecting the human rights and freedoms, superiority of law principle.

The Chief of the General Staff Hulusi Akar

If I die for flag, government, motherland I will be martyr or be Ghazi...

The Chief of the General Staff Hulusi Akar has stated that the Turkish Armed Forces were against the coup attempt on July 15 with the real children of Turkish Armed Forces. Akar has mentioned that these traitors will be punished in the hardest way: Nobody should have doubt. It gave us strength and moral that you behaved by separating the traitors from the hero, devoted Turkish Armed Forces staff that fights against PKK and other threats. Thank you. We are aware of that the love and trust you showed us is important in terms of the unity and sovereignty and safety of our nation. The heroism shown by our nation in order to protect the national will and democracy is over all kind of appreciation. It will be reminded with respect always.

Thank you again.

Chief of General Staff Hulusi Akar’s speech Yenikapı Meeting

The Chief of the General Staff Akar has stated that the Turkish Armed Force’s concept of the army nation, which is historical, is strengthened by the attitude which depends on democracy and rule of law, of the overwhelming majority of the Turkish Armed Forces acting together with the state and the nation. He underlined that the “Dominance belongs to the Nation” understanding also pointed by Ghazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is their basic understanding and will last forever.

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LETTER SENT TO THE DEPUTIES BY SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT İSMAİL KAHRAMAN

SPEAKER OF THE GRAND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF TURKEY Dear Necdet Ünüvar Adana Deputy As you know the bloody coup attempt realized against our nation, government, law and democracy by F. Gülenist Terrorist Organization (FETO) and the Parallel State Structure (PSS) on July 15, 2016 Friday has been removed with the protection of the values by our nation.

Our National Grand Assembly has been attacked with guns during this attempt.

Despite everything, our General Assembly was held open by deputies; meetings condemning the coup attempt have been made by protecting the National Sovereignty.

During this attempt our nation resisted at squares, political parties; leaders, deputies and organizations reacted against, nongovernmental organizations all together have disrupted this coup attempt realized against our national spirit and roots. Turkish Armed Forces members and Security powers have done their best. Law, national will and democracy have been protected all together and the nation has defeated the coup.

Our nation has shown its stability against the coup attempt; it has organized meetings, democracy watches and this watch has continued. All these positive developments realized as a result of the calm and firm standing of our President and his invitation people on streets. Beside this, media has played an important role in keeping the resistance spirit alive. This painful event showed the whole world that our nation has assimilated democracy and don’t want to give a coup opportunity to any power. The nation has succeeded to avoid the coup with its common sense, foresight, courage and steadiness.

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SPEAKER OF THE GRAND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF TURKEY

The legal process about the coup attempt is followed by our Presidency sensitively.

Nobody should have the doubt that the necessary processes will be applied to those who realized, instigated and stand behind this coup attempt.

I want to thank, as the President of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, all the deputies who stood against the coups, terrorists with military uniforms and supported us. I believe that; our council which resisted against the attacks of the coup plotters and added another Ghazi title after the War of Liberation deserves every kind of greeting.

I wish grace to all soldiers, police and civil citizens who were martyred during this national will, democracy and law fight and condole with their relatives. I wish all the injured people a quick recovery.

While stating my appreciations and congratulations to you for your valuable supports when protecting the national will, I wish you success and my best regards.

İsmail KAHRAMAN SPEAKER OF THE GRAND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF TURKEY

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JULY 15 REACTIONS OF TURKISH CITIZENS LIVING ABROAD

Sarajevo, Bosnia SARAJEVO, BOSNIA Herzegovina AND HERZEGOVINA SARAJEVO, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND

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Zurich, SWITZERLAND Sweden ZURICH,

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GAZA CITY, PALESTINE GAZA CITY, PALESTINE

MILAN, ITALY MILAN, ITALY

Gaza, Palestine

Milano, Italy

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Pennsylvania, USA OUTSIDE FETULLAH GULEN’S

RESIDENCE IN PENNSYLVANIA, U.S.

Cities in which anti-coup protests were held

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U.S. Boston,Pennsylvania, Chicago | Germany Berlin, Cologne | Azerbaijan Baku | Australia Melbourne | Austria Vienna | Belgium Brussels | Bosnia and Herzegovina Sarajevo | Morocco | Palestine Gaza City | France Strasbourg | Italy Milan | Sweden Stockholm | Switzerland UN Geneva, Zurich | Canada Toronto | Qatar | Kosovo Prizren | Libya Tripoli | Lebanon Beirut | Luxembourg | Hungary Budapest | Macedonia Skopje | Rabat, Morocco Pakistan | Somalia | Syria Azaz | Tunisia | Jordan Amman

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JULY 15 REACTIONS FROM WORLD LEADERS

Iran President Hasan Ruhani

European Union Leaders

Turkey is a key partner for EU. EU is supporting a government elected democratically.

Unfortunately we are living in a region where some people think that by using planes, tank and helicopters the elected government can be ruined.

The time in which military coups and people use guns and tanks on people have passed. Today Iran, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Bahrain can solve their problems with election.

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev

I really condemn that crime which has been realized against Turkish Constitution.

Belgium Prime Minister Charles Michel

We are pleased that the coup attemtp has ended.

Spain Ankara Embassy Greece Prime Minister Aleksis Cipras

Greece government and nation is following the situation in Turkey. Greece citizens are supporting democracy and constitutional order.

Georgia President Giorgi Margvelaşvili

We want to express our support to the democratically elected government and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Spain is condeming the coup attempt in Turkey which is a great friend and key ally and states its supports to the elected managers and makes a call to respect constitutional order.

Albania President Bujar Nishani

I condemn the trials of capturing the management with violence. I hope that the public order in Turkey will be provided soon and the life of Turkish nation will be normal.

China Minister of Foreign Affairs

We follow the situation at Turkey closely and hope that the order will be provided soon.

Indonesia Vice President Yusuf Kalla

While Kalla defined the coup attempt as very worrisome, he stated his support to the Turkish government and democracy.

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USA President Barack Obama

President (Barack Obama) and Secretery of state (John Kerry) agree upon the fact that all parties in Turkey should support the democratically elected government and avoid blood and violence.

Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel

I condemn on behalf of the German government that some facts of the Turkish Army try to make the elected government of Turkey fail. It is tragic that many people died during this coup attempt.

President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Pedro Agramunt

Turkey is one of our members and we are supporting the democratic institutions and authorities in Turkey. It is important now to provide the democratic order, being calm and protect the democratic institutions and rules.

President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin

We are denying the methods including violence and against the constitution and governments. We wish condolences to those who died and hope that constitutional order in Turkey will be provided soon.

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

On behalf of all Canadians, I want to state our concerns about the events happening in Turkey. We make a moderation call for all parties. Canada is supporting the protection of democracy in Turkey.

Renzi has stated that he follows the events in Turkey closely and is pleased that the coup attempt failed.

Malasia Prime Minister Najib Razak

Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Ukraine states its strong support to Turkish nation and its managers elected with election.

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Chairmen of the Bosna-Herzigovia Presidential Council Bakir Izzetbegovic

The contrary of the aimed will happen… ıt wil be revealed who is unreliable.

We are against to all interventions which are agains the constitution towards removing the naitonal will. Coups shouldn’t be allowed in any condition.

Democratic process is the basis of freedom, safety and welfare.

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England Prime Minister Theresa May

England Prime Minister Theresa May has underlined the support of her country to elected institutions. May stated: We are condemning the coup attempt. Everything should be done for no more violence.

High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Commissioner Johannes Hahn NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg

We condemn the coup attempt in Turkey I am pleased for the support given to the and underline our support to elected government in Turkey which is elected institutions in Turkey. European Union is in with democracy by the whole nation cooperation with Turkey and and political parties. I make a call for Turkish nation. being calm and being respectful to all democratic institutions in Turkey and constitution.

France Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Marc Ayrault

Romania Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos

The only choice for Turkey is to return to the constitutional order and rule of law.

France is believing that the tranquility will be provided soon. It hopes that Turkish democracy will come out of this test Iraq Prime Minister Faud Masum stronger and respect will be shown to I hope that Turkish nation has the power basic freedom. for exiting this chaos and the government and institutions elected with democracy will have their authorisations again.

Somalia President Hasan Seyh Mahmud

Iraq Speaker of Parliament Selim El Cuburi

Cosova Head of State Hashim Thaci

Cuburi has condemned the attack made to The stability of Turkey is the key for the Turkish Assembly and has underlined that the whole region. We support the respect should be shown to the democratic government elected democratically and system and political process. the legal and public order.

I condemn the coup attempt in İstanbul and Ankara. It is not acceptable that the Turkish nation turns back from its democratic way. Somalia is supporting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the government.

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Saudi Arabia King Salman Bin Abdulaziz

Saudi Arabia is pleased that normalization has been provided towards the constitutional legitimacy and Turkish national will managed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Qatar Ameer Seyh Tamim Bin Hamid es-Sani

Australia Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull

Ameer has condemned the unsuccessful coup attempt and has stated that Qatar is in cooperation with Turkey and supports all measures taken for the protection of safety, constitutional legitimacy and superiority of law.

Australia has stated that all parties should be calm and respect should be shown to all democratic institutions in Turkey.

Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland Pakistan Prime Minister Navaz Serif

Morocco Minister of Transportation Abdulaziz Rabbah

We are admiring the will and stability of the Turkish nation by being against the dark and anarchic powers with their dependence on democracy.

Rabbah has stated that Turkish nation has realized a big miracle by protecting their leader and democracy and wished protection from God.

EUROPE

ORGANIZATION NATO

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

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The coup attempt was shocking. Coups were bombing the Assembly and democratic institutions of Turkey. This coup attempt should be condemnded seriously and I state that this attempt cannot be accepted.

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LETTERS SENT ABROAD FROM GNAT IN ORDER TO PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDIES THE COUP ATTEMPT The letter sent by Turkey-Azerbaijan Friendship Group President Prof. Dr. Necdet Ünüvar to his colleague Prof. Dr. Ehliman Emiraslanov.

LETTERS SENT ABROAD FROM THE GNAT IN ORDER TO DESCRIBE THE COUP ATTEMPT Letter sent by the President of the Turkey-Azerbaijan Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group, Prof. Dr. Necdet Ünüvar to his counterpart Prof. Dr. Ehliman Emiraslanov.

Dear President, Our nation was shaken by an atrocious coup attempt on the night of July 15, 2016. This was an attempt at undermining democracy, constitutional order, the rule of law and state institutions as well as targeting the innocent civilians who peacefully opposed the coup plotters in order to protect the democratic will they had put forward through legitimate elections. The manifestation of the will of our nation, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in which I am honored to hold the position of President of the InterParliamentary Friendship Group along with all of the Deputies who were assembled there were bombed with the intent to kill by war planes as well as helicopter gunships during the heinous attack that night. As soon as the coup attempt began, Deputies from all political parties arrived at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey to attend the plenary session, demonstrating their stance in opposition of all coup attempts, standing firmly behind the principles of democracy and despite the ongoing attacks never once thought of leaving, showing the entire world once again their unshakeable willpower and belief in democracy though a joint declaration they subsequently published.

The bombings which took place not only resulted in deep wounds in physical venues but also targeted the identity of our Assembly as the core institution of our democracy.

I would hereby like to once again thank my colleagues who have shared their sorrow in the wake of the painful events, thus relaying their condolences and supporting our democratically legitimate parliament and government and briefly share with you some information related to the coup attempt which as of now has been brought under complete control.

In essence, approximately for the last three years, our country has been facing different attempts at taking over the state and government in spite of the nation and national will. On July 15, these attempts took the form of an armed coup attempt and put beyond a reasonable doubt that Turkey is face to face with a terrorist attack the likes of which no other country has experienced before.

This coup attempt undertaken by a group of soldiers belonging to the Fethullah Gülen Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), acting outside of the chain of command of the Turkish Armed Forces was carried out in a limited, yet due to the strength of the weaponry at their disposal, dangerous manner, thus resulting in hundreds of civilians losing their lives and wounding over a thousand people. Even though this attempt cannot be attributed to the entirety of our proud military whose loyalty to our democracy and constitutional order cannot be doubted, it will go down in history as a painful experience serving as a reminder to democratic countries about the importance of fighting illegal terrorist cells and cliques which take hold within the armed forces.

We have come to the point in which the judicial process has started regarding this coup attempt which was averted through the wholehearted fight put up by our noble nation which has protected freedom and democracy. In this context it shall not be forgotten that this crime which was perpetrated with the motive of taking over of the entire administration of the state also had many accomplices. Thus the information and documents that have been uncovered in the initial investigation and searches that took place have clearly demonstrated the gravity of the situation, bringing to light important evidence about thousands of individuals including those within the Turkish Armed Forces and outside as well as certain civil servants who were part of plans to take part in the coup administration. As a result, under the authorities granted by the Constitution, it has become a necessity to declare a state of emergency across the nation in order to be able to take the steps aimed at alleviating this threat to our democracy, the rule of law, as well as the rights and freedoms of our citizens in a quick and efficient manner.

However, the international community should not have the slightest concern regarding Turkey’s commitment to the protection of human rights, preservation of the rule of law, the implementation of international norms and compliance with universal principles of law in relation to the state of emergency and the relevant judicial processes.

I wholeheartedly believe that the international community and friendly countries will take into consideration that the validity of the theses that have been put forward by our state at every platform for years regarding this terrorist organization has been confirmed and with this in mind, give their full support to the Republic of Turkey, which has together with all of its political parties within the Grand National Assembly of Turkey unified into a single body in its legitimate fight against the coup attempt orchestrated

by FETÖ.

In this regard I would like to relay my sincerest wishes that there be more frequent and effective dialogue as well as cooperation between our parliaments in the upcoming period.

Attached: Joint Declaration of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Yours Truly,

President of the Turkey-Azerbaijan Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group Ehliman EMİRASLANOV President of the Azerbaijan-Turkey Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group

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That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

CONCLUSION Certain special times separate certain institutions, periods, individuals or venues from their counterparts and elevate them to a special position. This in essence is not a degree of importance decided by individuals on their own. Nor is it a desire by individuals to bring a certain venue to the forefront. These names all of a sudden transform into images which evoke the same notion in the minds of the public. These images appear on their own through the natural flow of events. These are names such as May 27, March 12, September 12 and February 28. Even though at first glance these look like statements of dates which are normally made of words and numbers, for those that have personally lived through them, they are now important names which have been placed in uniquely special positions within history; thus when mentioned, evoke the same memories and feelings in everyone due to the imagery value they carry.

When taking into consideration this evolution process, it is highly probable that the July 15 Traitorous Coup Attempt will be referred to as an abbreviation such as 15/7. However, no such anonymous name has been put forward yet. Up until now, what was lived through that night has been referred to as, “July 15, Night of Treachery”. This is because what took place that night was not just an ordinary “event”; what took place that night was “Treason”, an attempt at igniting a “civil war”, an attempt at an “invasion”.

I believe that it is important to explain and understand well the reason we do not call the actions of those who tried to instigate a coup on July 15 as just a coup attempt but instead refer to it as “an act of treason” and use the term "traitor” instead of coup plotter. If that night there was a group only trying to overthrow the government, classifications such as “treason” and “traitor” could be debated. However, that night there was a group that rained death upon the soldiers, police and citizens of this nation and not just targeted the legitimate government but also tried to do what the enemy couldn’t/wouldn’t by raining bombs on institutions like the GNAT which serve as the heart of the state and nation, in other words, a crazed group which was openly betraying their nation. To refer to what this group did as “treason” and define them as “traitors” is thus an indisputable fact.

212

This book has been prepared in order to show the entire world the difference between “Coup” and “Treason” as well as the difference between “Coup Plotter” and “Traitor”, to ensure that the events of that night and such attempts are not forgotten, to make sure that there is no complacency so that future generations remain vigilant against the possibility of such attempts. The Turkish nation which has gone from one front to the other for years has never seen such an act of treason. Up until July 15, we had no doubt that the author of our National Anthem, Mehmet Akif referred to the threats posed by the enemies who set their eyes on this heavenly homeland when he prayed, “May Allah never again make this nation write another National Anthem”... Unfortunately, this enemy emerged from within our midst, from among our cherished homes in a manner that Mehmet Akif could not predict.

I would like to conclude the message of this work with the following prayer, “May Allah never allow any nation to be stabbed in the back and have a dagger struck mercilessly in its heart by those it regarded as its sons. May Allah protect mankind from such a painful experience.”

That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

Ömer HALİSDEMİR 213

That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

JULY 15 MARTYRS

214

1 - Abdullah Tayyip OLÇOK

32 - Celalettin İBİŞ

63 - Feramil Ferhat KAYA

94 - İbrahim YILMAZ

2 - Adil BÜYÜKCENGİZ

33 - Cemal DEMİR

64 - Ferdi YURDUSEVEN

95 - İhsan YILDIZ

3 - Ahmet KARA

34 - Cengiz HASBAL

65 - Ferhat KOÇ

96 - İlhan VARANK

4 - Ahmet KOCABAY

35 - Cengiz POLAT

66 - Fevzi BAŞARAN

97 - İsmail KAYIK

5 - Ahmet ORUÇ

36 - Cennet YİĞİT

67 - Fırat BULUT

98 - İsmail KEFAL

6 - Ahmet ÖZSOY

37 - Cuma DAĞ

68 - Fikret Metin ÖZTÜRK

99 - İzzet ÖZKAN

7 - Akın SERTÇELİK

38 - Cüneyt BURSA

69 - Fuat BOZKURT

100 - Kader SİVRİ

8 - Akif ALTAY

39 - Çetin CAN

70 - Gökhan ESEN

101 - Kemal EKŞİ

9 - Akif KAPAKLI

40 - Davut KARAÇAM

71 - Gökhan YILDIRIM

102 - Kemal TOSUN

10 - Ali ALITKAN

41 - Demet SEZEN

72 - Gülşah GÜLER

103 - Köksal KARMİL

11 - Ali ANAR

42 - Dursun ACAR

73 - Hakan GÜLŞEN

104 - Köksal KAŞALTI

12 - Ali İhsan LEZGİ

43 - Edip ZENGİN

74 - Hakan ÜNVER

105 - Kübra DOĞANAY

13 - Ali KARSLI

44 - Emin GÜNER

75 - Hakan YORULMAZ

106 - Lokman BİÇİNCİ

14 - Ali Mehmet VUREL

45 - Emrah SAĞAZ

76 - Haki ARAS

107 - Lokman OKTAY

15 - Alparslan YAZICI

46 - Emrah SAPA

77 - Halil HAMURYEN

108 - Lütfi GÜLŞEN

16 - Alper KAYMAKÇI

47 - Engin TİLBEÇ

78 - Halil IŞILAR

109 - Mahir AYABAK

17 - Askeri ÇOBAN

48 - Erdem DİKER

79 - Halil İbrahim YILDIRIM

110 - Mahmut COŞKUNSU

18 - Aydın ÇOPUR

49 - Erhan DURAL

80 - Halil KANTARCI

111 - Mahmut EŞİT

19 - Ayhan KELEŞ

50 - Erhan DÜNDAR

81 - Halit GÜLSER

112 - Medet EKİZCELİ

20 - Ayşe AYKAÇ

51 - Erkan ER

82 - Halit Yaşar MİNE

113 - Mehmet Akif SANCAR

21 - Aytekin KURU

52 - Erkan PALA

83 - Hasan ALTIN

114 - Mehmet Ali KILIÇ

22 - Barış EFE

53 - Erkan YİĞİT

84 - Hasan GÜLHAN

115 - Mehmet ÇETİN

23 - Battal İLGÜN

54 - Erol İNCE

85 - Hasan KAYA

116 - Mehmet DEMİR

24 - Batuhan ERGİN

55 - Erol OLÇOK

86 - Hasan YILMAZ

117 - Mehmet GÜDER

25 - Beytullah YEŞİLAY

56 - Eyyüp OĞUZ

87 - Hikmet BAYSAL

118 - Mehmet GÜLŞEN

26 - Birol YAVUZ

57 - Fahrettin YAVUZ

88 - Hurşut UZEL

119 - Mehmet KARAASLAN

27 - Burak CANTÜRK

58 - Faruk DEMİR

89 - Hüseyin GORAL

120 - Mehmet KARACATİLKİ

28 - Burhan ÖNER

59 - Fatih DALGIÇ

90 - Hüseyin GÜNTEKİN

121 - Mehmet KOCAKAYA

29 - Bülent AYDIN

60 - Fatih KALU

91 - Hüseyin KALKAN

122 - Mehmet ORUÇ

30 - Bülent KARALI

61 - Fatih SATIR

92 - Hüseyin KISA

123 - Mehmet Şefik ŞEFKATLIOĞLU

31 - Bülent YURTSEVEN

62 - Fazıl GÜRS

93 - İbrahim ATEŞ

124 - Mehmet ŞENGÜL

That Nıght At The Ghazı Assembly

125 - Mehmet Şevket UZUN

156 - Mustafa SERİN

187 - Recep GÜNDÜZ

218 - Turgut SOLAK

126 - Mehmet YILMAZ

157 - Mustafa SOLAK

188 - Resul KAPTANCI

219 - Türkmen TEKİN

127 - Meriç ALEMDAR

158 - Mustafa TECİMEN

189 - Rüstem Resul PERÇİN

220 - Ufuk BAYSAN

128 - Mesut ACU

159 - Mustafa YAMAN

190 - Sait ERTÜRK

221 - Uhud Kadir IŞIK

129 - Mesut YAĞAN

160 - Mutlucan KILIÇ

191 - Salih ALIŞKAN

222 - Ümit ÇOBAN

130 - Mete SERTBAŞ

161 - Muzaffer AYDOĞDU

192 - Samet CANTÜRK

223 - Ümit GÜDER

131 - Metin ARSLAN

162 - Münir ALKAN

193 - Samet USLU

224 - Ümit YOLCU

132 - Mucip ARIGAN

163 - Necati SAYIN

194 - Sedat KAPLAN

225 - Vahit KAŞÇIOĞLU

133 - Muhammed Oğuz KILINÇ

164- Necmi Bahadır DENİZCİOĞLU 195 - Seher YAŞAR

134 - Muhammet AKSU

165 - Nedip Cengiz EKER

196 - Selim CANSIZ

227 - Vedat BARCEĞCİ

135 - Muhammet AMBAR

166 - Niyazi ERGÜVEN

197 - Serdar GÖKBAYRAK

228 - Vedat BÜYÜKÖZTAŞ

136 - Muhammet Fazlı DEMİR

167 - Oğuzhan YAŞAR

198 - Serhat ÖNDER

229 - Velid BEKDAŞ

137 - Muhammet YALÇIN

168 - Onur Ensar AYANOĞLU

199 - Serkan GÖKER

230 - Volkan CANÖZ

138 - Muharrem Kerem YILDIZ

169 - Onur KILIÇ

200 - Servet ASMAZ

231 - Volkan PİLAVCI

139 - Muhsin KİREMİTÇİ

170 - Orhun GÖYTAN

201 - Sevda GÜNGÖR

232 - Yakup KOZAN

140 - Munir Murat ERTEKİN

171 - Osman ARSLAN

202 - Sevgi YEŞİLYURT

233 - Yakup SÜRÜCÜ

141 - Murat AKDEMİR

172 - Osman EVSAHİBİOĞLU

203 - Seyit Ahmet ÇAKIR

234 - Yalçın ARAN

142 - Murat ALKAN

173 - Osman YILMAZ

204 - Suat AKINCI

235 - Yasin Bahadır YÜCE

143 - Murat DEMİRCİ

174 - Özan ÖZEN

205 - Suat ALOĞLU

236 - Yasin Naci AĞAROĞLU

144 - Murat ELLİK

175 - Ömer Can AÇIKGÖZ

206 - Sultan Selim KARAKOÇ 237 - Yasin YILMAZ

145 - Murat İNCİ

176 - Ömer CANKATAR

207 - Sümer DENİZ

238 - Yıldız GÜRSOY

146 - Murat KOCATÜRK

177 - Ömer HALİSDEMİR

208 - Şener DURSUN

239 - Yılmaz ERCAN

147 - Murat MERTEL

178 - Ömer İPEK

209 - Şenol SAĞMAN

240 - Yunus Emre EZER

148 - Murat NAİBOĞLU

179 - Ömer TAKDEMİR

210 - Şeyhmus DEMİR

241 - Yunus UĞUR

149 - Mustafa ASLAN

180 - Önder GÜZEL

211 - Şirin DİRİL

242 - Yusuf ÇELİK

150 - Mustafa AVCU

181 - Özgür GENCER

212 - Şuayip SEFEROĞLU

243 - Yusuf ELİTAŞ

151 - Mustafa CAMBAZ

182 - Özkan ÖZENDİ

213 - Şükrü BAYRAKÇI

244 - Zafer KOYUNCU

152 - Mustafa DİREKLİ

183 - Ramazan KONUŞ

214 - Tahsin GEREKLİ

245 - Zekeriya BİTMEZ

153 - Mustafa KARASAKAL

184 - Ramazan MEŞE

215 - Tevhit AKKAN

246 - Zeynep SAĞIR

154 - Mustafa KAYMAKÇI

185 - Ramazan SARIKAYA

216 - Timur AKTEMUR

247 - Ziya İlhan DAĞDAŞ

155 - Mustafa KOÇAK

186 - Recep BÜYÜK

217 - Tolga ECEBALIN

226 - Varol TOSUN

215