A Turkish court started issuing verdicts on Wednesday in the trial of some 40 soldiers accused of attempting to kill President Tayyip Erdogan during last year’s coup, with the first defendants declared guilty and sentenced to life in prison. The judge read out guilty verdicts for the first several defendants, according to a Reuters reporter at the court in Mugla, southwestern Turkey. The court heard final statements from the defendants just before Emirsah Bastog, the main judge, began handing down his verdict. Some of the accused said they did not believe the court could deliver a fair verdict, saying it was under political pressure. A total of 47 defendants were on trial, 43 of whom have been held in detention during the 7-1/2 month hearing.

Source: Egypt Independent October 04, 2017 11:37 UTC