1960 Turkish coup d'état

1960 Turkish coup d'état
A Turkish stamp issued to commemorate the 1st anniversary of the coup d´etat on 27 May 1960.

The military coup in Turkey, 1960 was a coup d'état staged by a group of Turkish army officers, against the democratically elected government of the Democrat Party on 27 May 1960.

The leaders of the coup made General Cemal Gürsel, who had not taken any role in the coup, head of state, prime minister and the minister of defence upon completion of the military take-over. The military junta returned the power to civilians 17 months later in October 1961, after General Gürsel resisted the continuation of military rule.

President Celal Bayar, prime minister Adnan Menderes and some members of the cabinet were arrested and put on trial before a kangaroo court appointed by the junta on the island Yassıada in the Sea of Marmara. The politicians were charged with high treason, misuse of public funds and abrogation of the constitution.

The tribunals ended with the execution of Adnan Menderes, Minister of Foreign Affairs Fatin Rüştü Zorlu and Minister of Finance Hasan Polatkan on İmralı island on 16 September 1961.

See also

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