Editors' Note: Turkey's Islamist Government Goes After the Generals Who Saved Turkey From Total Chaos in 1980.
The Ankara prosecutor questioned the leader of Turkey's 1980 military coup to determine whether to bring him and another surviving coup leader to trial, following constitutional amendments that lifted their immunity. Prosecutor Huseyin Gorusen is questioned retired Gen. Kenan Evren, the military chief of staff who led the 1980 coup and became president, at his home in Ankara on Monday due to health problems. Prosecutors are also expected to question retire Gen. Tahsin Sahinkaya, the chief of the country's air force at the time. However, it is not clear whether the two can be tried. Some legal experts say a statute of limitations on legal moves against the coup engineers expired. Supporters of prosecution, however, argue there should be no deadline for alleged crimes against humanity.