A new documentary featuring former Turkish Air Force officers disputes the official account of a coup attempt in Turkey on July 15, 2016 and questions the conviction of retired Gen. Akın Öztürk, who was sentenced to life in prison as one of the alleged putsch leaders, Turkish Minute reported.
The film was aired on the YouTube Ufuk Çizgisi (“Horizon Line”) channel on Thursday, run by former Turkish Air Force officers who were dismissed by emergency decrees following the 2016 attempted coup.
Turkey survived an abortive putsch in 2016 that killed over 250 people and wounded more than a thousand. Immediately after the failed attempt, the government along with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan pinned the blame on the faith-based Gülen movement. The movement strongly denies any involvement in the coup attempt.
The late Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, whose views inspired the movement, was cited as the prime suspect in the coup indictment, while former commander of the Turkish Air Forces retired Gen. Öztürk is listed as the second suspect.
The 48-minute film, titled “Spoiler: Apolet Perdesi” (“Spoiler: The Epaulette Curtain”), includes statements from five former officers who served under Öztürk during his tenure as Air Force commander and later as a member of the Supreme Military Council. All five were dismissed from the military by emergency decrees following the coup attempt.
Those who speak in the documentary include Maj. İbrahim Kocaman, former General Staff officer; Brig. Gen. Mehmet Yalınalp, Öztürk’s former private secretary; Col. Mehmet Çalışkan; Col. Üryani Kömbeci; and 1st Lt. Emre Ateş. They argue that Öztürk was not involved in planning or executing the coup and claim he was acting under orders from then–chief of general staff Gen. Hulusi Akar.
Öztürk, who denies any involvement in the coup, came to public attention one day after the coup attempt, on July 16, 2016, with photos showing him and other military officers having been battered. There were apparent wounds on his face and body and drops of blood on his T-shirt caused by the maltreatment he was subjected to due to his alleged involvement in the attempted coup.
The former general said in his defense to the court in March 2019 that a plot was staged against him on the night of the failed coup to portray him as the leader of the abortive putsch.
Öztürk said he first heard the word “coup” on that night from then-chief of general staff Gen. Akar, who told him to convince the putschist officers not to stage a coup.
According to the accounts of ex-Air Force officers who spoke in the film, Öztürk was at home in Ankara when the events began to unfold and traveled to Akıncı Air Base at the request of the military command to help de-escalate the situation by persuading pilots to return to their bases. They say this mission was documented in writing and approved by Akar and then–air force commander Gen. Abidin Ünal.
The officers further claim that Öztürk had previously rejected unofficial requests to purge Air Force personnel based on lists brought by then-chief of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) Hakan Fidan and former general and then-lawmaker from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Şirin Ünal, insisting that any dismissals be processed through legal channels. They allege that this refusal created tensions between Öztürk and senior political figures.
Col. Çalışkan also recalls that Öztürk opposed proposals for military intervention in Syria in 2015, citing operational risks and the potential for long-term damage to Turkish air power. He says Öztürk submitted a formal risk assessment outlining these concerns.
The documentary also raises questions about statements reportedly made by Akar in the months before the coup, including one in which he is quoted as saying, “We will return to 1980 so they don’t take us back to 1919.” The officers interpret this as a reference to military intervention being discussed in high-level meetings.
The film challenges claims that Akar was taken hostage, citing accounts from inside General Staff headquarters indicating that he continued to issue orders throughout the night.
One segment focuses on a helicopter sent to retrieve Öztürk from Akıncı Air Base. The officers claim the aircraft was targeted by F-16s after Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım allegedly gave the order to open fire. The helicopter landed safely.
The documentary cites internal military communications indicating that Öztürk’s presence at Akıncı was officially authorized. It also references a United Nations decision declaring his detention arbitrary and calling for his release and compensation.
Turkish authorities maintain that the coup was carried out by members of the faith-based Gülen movement. The officers featured in the film argue that the coup was most likely a false flag carried out on the orders of Akar, who later turned against his subordinates in coordination with the government and used to justify mass purges across the military and civil service. More than 100,000 people were dismissed or imprisoned in the months that followed.
The documentary is available online in Turkish with English subtitles. It has prompted renewed discussion of the legal basis for coup-related convictions and the lack of independent investigation into the events of July 15.
The coup attempt, the ninth anniversary of which will be marked on Tuesday, was suppressed overnight, and there remain many questions about the real masterminds of the abortive putsch, with conflicting statements from the government and those accused of involvement in the failed coup.
Ankara maintains the coup took place outside the chain of command and that then-chief of general staff Gen. Akar was held hostage by the coup plotters for hours. There is widespread suspicion that Akar was involved in the coup and had prior knowledge of it. He was later promoted to defense minister.
