Father of Council of State attack convict claims innocence and FETÖ links

İdris Arslan, the father of Alparslan Arslan—the individual convicted for the 2006 armed attack on the Council of State—is calling for the reopening of the case, claiming his son was innocent.

Alparslan Arslan, who was sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment and 72 years in prison, was found dead in his cell at the Istanbul Maltepe Closed Prison on February 16, 2023. İdris Arslan alleges that his son repeatedly maintained his innocence during private visits but appeared unable to represent himself properly during court hearings.

The father further claims that another individual actually pulled the trigger and has urged co-defendant Osman Yıldırım to speak if provided with state protection. Additionally, İdris Arslan has requested an investigation into potential links to FETÖ, noting that his son had met with lawyer Kemalettin Gülen, an associate of Fethullah Gülen, prior to the attack.