Turkish prosecutors launch inquiry into CHP council members over ‘theatre’ remark on July 15 coup

During a Bahçelievler municipal council meeting, CHP council members Nazife Aktaş and Gencay Özkan referred to the July 15 2016 coup attempt as a “theatre”. The remarks provoked a strong reaction from families of the coup’s martyrs, with about 100 relatives gathering outside the council building and a heated exchange breaking out inside the chamber. One mother, Muteber Ayabak, said, “Defolup gitsinler buradan… we sacrificed our children, you cannot dismiss July 15.”

Following the incident, the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office opened a criminal investigation into the two councillors for alleged “incitement to hatred and enmity” (Halkı Kin ve Düşmanlığa Tehrik). The probe will examine council recordings and statements before a judicial decision is made.

The episode highlights tensions over the legacy of the coup attempt and the political sensitivities surrounding public commentary on the event.