Gen. Tahsin Sahinkaya, a Leader in Turkey’s 1980 Coup, Dies at 90
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Version 0 of 1. Gen. Tahsin Sahinkaya, the last surviving member of a junta that led Turkey’s 1980 military coup, died on Thursday in Istanbul. He was 90. His death, at a military hospital, was announced by the state-run Anadolu Agency. No cause was specified. General Sahinkaya, a former air force commander, was one of five members of the military clique that grabbed power on Sept. 12, 1980. The coup ended years of violence and street clashes but also set off a wave of arrests, torture and extrajudicial killings after Gen. Kenan Evren, the leader of the coup, declared himself head of state and imposed martial law. Last year General Sahinkaya and General Evren were convicted of crimes against the state and sentenced to life in prison. General Sahinkaya was set free for medical reasons and was appealing his conviction. General Evren, who was president until 1989, died in May. |