10 Years On: The Failed Coup Attempt that Changed Turkey Forever

The night of July 15, 2016, is etched in Turkiye’s collective memory as a moment of crisis and upheaval. What began as a military coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government quickly descended into chaos and bloodshed. Turkish fighter jets swooped down on key landmarks in Ankara and Istanbul while tanks rolled onto the streets to suppress dissent.

Beneath this dramatic spectacle lies a complex web of intrigue, politics, and power struggles that continue to shape Turkey’s destiny today. The events leading up to the coup attempt were shrouded in mystery but it is clear that Erdogan’s leadership style and policies had created deep divisions within the Turkish military and government.

Erdogan’s increasing authoritarian tendencies, coupled with his Islamist ideology, alienated many in the secularist establishment. As Turkey became embroiled in regional conflicts, particularly against Kurdish militants, tensions between Erdogan and the military grew. The plotters behind the coup were largely made up of rogue officers from within the Turkish Armed Forces who felt that Erdogan’s government was compromising national security and undermining democratic institutions.

These individuals were allegedly supported by external actors, although the extent of their involvement remains unclear. Key players included generals such as Akin Ozturk, a former commander of the Air Force Intelligence, and Hakan Evrim Kosemen, a brigadier general who served in the Turkish Army’s 7th Corps.

As investigations into the coup attempt unfolded, it emerged that a group of high-ranking officers had conspired against Erdogan. This core group was believed to have been facilitated by external agents, possibly linked to the United States or other Western powers seeking to undermine Erdogan’s increasingly nationalist and Islamist policies.

The organizational structure of the plotters was loose and ad-hoc, reflecting the chaotic nature of the coup attempt itself. Military units were dispatched across the country while key infrastructure – including airports, bridges, and government buildings – was seized in a bid to control the narrative. The involvement of elements within the Turkish police force added to the complexity of the situation.

The Erdogan government responded swiftly and decisively to quash the coup attempt, ordering a nationwide curfew and deploying military forces to key locations. Tanks rumbled onto the streets of Istanbul as troops moved to reassert control over major cities. As the situation unfolded, hundreds were arrested or detained for allegedly supporting the plotters.

The scale of arrests was staggering: thousands of military personnel, government officials, and civil servants were purged or suspended from their duties, accused of supporting the coup attempt or failing to suppress it. This purge extended far beyond those directly implicated, targeting secularist and pro-secular elements within Turkey’s power structures.

The aftermath of the failed coup attempt brought a wave of human rights abuses that continue to reverberate across Turkey today. Reports emerged of torture and enforced disappearances among detainees, with allegations of beatings, electrocution, and other forms of mistreatment widespread. Freedom of speech and assembly were severely curtailed as Erdogan’s government sought to consolidate power.

Journalists faced intense scrutiny, with many arrested or charged under anti-terror laws for allegedly supporting the coup attempt or criticizing Erdogan’s policies. Turkey’s press freedom rankings plummeted in the aftermath, with Erdogan repeatedly branding journalists “enemies of the state.” The Turkish media landscape was forever altered as self-censorship became a pervasive feature.

In the wake of the coup attempt, social media platforms were swamped with misinformation and propaganda. Fake news spread rapidly across Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms, often amplified by government-backed accounts or unwittingly disseminated through compromised outlets. This avalanche of false information created confusion among the public, further eroding trust in Turkey’s institutions.

As the years have passed since July 15, 2016, it has become increasingly clear that Erdogan’s government used the coup attempt as a pretext to consolidate power. The Turkish parliament was swiftly stripped of its constitutional powers, with the president assuming control over key institutions, including the judiciary.

Turkey’s democratic backsliding has been stark: judicial independence has eroded, press freedom is now almost nonexistent, and opposition voices are muffled or silenced altogether. Erdogan’s increasingly autocratic regime has brought about a culture of fear among his opponents, further polarizing an already divided country.

Today, Turkey remains a nation in turmoil, caught between competing visions for its future. The legacy of July 15, 2016, continues to shape Turkish politics, cementing Erdogan’s grip on power while silencing dissent and opposition voices.

The failure of the coup attempt paved the way for Turkey’s descent into authoritarianism, with profound consequences for democracy, human rights, and civil liberties in the country. As we look back on these pivotal events, it is clear that Erdogan’s increasingly dictatorial regime will leave an indelible mark on Turkey’s future – one that may be difficult to reverse in the years to come.