Kenan Evren, leader of Turkey's 1980 military coup, dies at 98

Kenan Evren, the primary architect of the September 12, 1980, military coup in Turkey, has passed away at the age of 98 in Ankara. A career military officer, Evren rose through the ranks to become Chief of the General Staff before leading the military intervention that dissolved parliament, suspended political party activities, and declared martial law.

Following the coup, Evren served as the head of the National Security Council and later became the 7th President of Turkey after the adoption of the 1982 Constitution. His leadership was marked by significant political and social upheaval, including widespread detentions and human rights concerns.

In later years, Evren faced legal proceedings regarding the coup. During a 2014 court hearing, he and fellow defendant Tahsin Şahinkaya participated via video link from their hospital beds. Despite the legal scrutiny and admissions regarding the inability to prevent torture in prisons during that era, Evren maintained that he felt no regret for his actions, stating he would have acted similarly if presented with the same circumstances.