Aesop’s fable is quite relevant also in understanding the events of the coup attempt in Turkey on July 15, 2016. So far, a one-sided official narrative has dominated the scene and many people bought this version at face value without feeling the need to check its reliability.

The coup attempt staged on the night of 15 July 2016, which was carried out under an obscure, bizarre and unexampled plan, was contained in just a few hours. However, it resulted in colossal adverse impacts in various domains including legal matters.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that anti-Westernism in Turkey has been institutionalized by the Eurasianist-Islamist alliance in the last six years through controlling media, politicizing education and using judicial procedures as instruments of oppression. Defending good relations with the US or the EU became almost equal to treason in Turkey.

Ambassador Volkan Bozkır of Turkey has recently been elected as the 75th President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The election of Turkey's candidate understandably created a climate of euphoria across the political spectrum in Turkey.

Birleşmiş Milletler Genel Kurulu'nun 75. Dönem Başkanlığı'na Türkiye'nin adayı Volkan Bozkır seçildi. Türkiye’nin adayının seçilmesi Erdoğan yanlısı çevrelerde kendini yüceltmenin de ötesine geçen bir zafer sarhoşluğu meydana getirdi.

Herhalde başka hiçbir ulusta bizdeki kadar yanlış olduğu son derece belirgin, aklı başında herkesin karşı çıktığı, gereksiz bir savaşa girerek devletimizi yıkıma götürme örneği yoktur. Apolojetik tarihçiliğimiz de bu hataları adeta kutsayarak kalıcı hale getirmeye çalışmaktadır. Devlette gücün az sayıda, kifayetsiz yöneticinin elinde toplanması sonuçları itibariyle vahim kararların alınabilmesine yol açmaktadır.

It has been five years since the failed coup attempt in Turkey and no one has any clear idea yet what actually happened that night. While the complete narrative and evidence about the failed coup have yet to be clarified, the scope of the reaction by the Turkish government to the coup attempt was quite horrifying.

In the past year, through our various publications, analyses and podcasts, instituDE has strived to shed light on Turkey; its domestic politics, economy, foreign policy and human rights situation. We have worked to provide valuable information and comments on Turkey for the foreign observers as well as the Turkish public. We put effort into raising awareness on the human rights violations and authoritarian practices in Turkey.