Turkey marks 10th anniversary of failed July 15 coup with nationwide memorials

Across Turkey and abroad, authorities and civil society commemorated the 10th anniversary of the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, parliamentary speaker Numan Kurtulmuş and officials such as Presidential Communication Chief Burhanettin Duran and Justice Minister Akın Gürlek highlighted the event as a "betrayal aimed at the nation's independence" and praised the popular resistance that "buried the coup in history."

Major ceremonies were held in the Grand National Assembly, where a program included a Mevlid‑i Şerif, the laying of carnations at the 15 July Martyrs Bridge monument and exhibitions on democratic resilience. Similar events took place in Sivas, where a new Memory Centre opened, and in Istanbul, where a giant Turkish flag was raised on the 15 July Martyrs Bridge.

The Culture and Tourism Ministry organized a massive nationwide programme covering all 81 provinces and more than 200 locations abroad, featuring museum openings, concerts, opera performances and art exhibitions. Thousands of citizens participated in a bike and motorcycle cortege that began at Taksim Square and ended at the 15 July Memory Museum.

In addition, a special walk was arranged on the bridge, drawing several thousand participants, and the day was observed as a public holiday, with banks closed but digital services remaining available. The commemorations underscored themes of national unity, democratic resolve and Turkey’s determination to defend its sovereignty.