Erdoğan Rallies Support at Türkiye’s July 15 Commemoration With Defiant Address – PHOTO REPORT + VIDEO

Eleonora Jobst reporting from Ankara

ANKARA, July 15 — On the ninth anniversary of the failed 2016 coup attempt, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a relatively brief yet fiercely emotive speech in Türkiye’s Grand National Assembly, reaffirming his government’s narrative of resilience and national unity in the face of treachery. The commemorative ceremony marked the first day of a three-day press trip organised by the Republic of Türkiye Directorate of Communications for foreign media, featuring visits to key national landmarks in Ankara and Istanbul, and came amid heightened national remembrance.

A Night that Shook the Republic of Türkiye

On the night of 15 July 2016, a faction within the Turkish military attempted to overthrow Erdoğan’s government, seizing key infrastructure in Ankara and Istanbul, including bridges, airports and state television. The coup attempt resulted in over 250 deaths and more than 2,000 injuries, but ultimately failed after tens of thousands of civilians took to the streets in support of the elected government. The Erdoğan administration swiftly blamed the US-based cleric Fethullah Gülen and his network, referred to as FETO, launching a wide-reaching crackdown in the months and years that followed.

Inside the Museum of a Nation’s Resistance

The day began with a visit to the July 15 Democracy Museum, located within the Presidential Complex. Opened in 2021, the museum is designed not merely to document the failed coup, but to cast it as a formative moment in Türkiye’s democratic history.

A walk through the space unfolds like a carefully choreographed narrative: the “Prelude to the Coup Attempt” hall outlines the rise of the FETO organisation, featuring classified documents, court evidence, and digital reconstructions. One installation allows visitors to simulate access to encrypted messaging apps used by coup plotters.

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The “Night of the Coup Attempt” section immerses visitors in the chaos of 15 July itself, with a 360-degree projection room that replays real-time footage and audio recordings from that night. Gripping clips of jets flying low over Ankara and civilians confronting armoured vehicles are interspersed with a series of deafening detonations and emergency broadcasts. The actual coup statement, infamously read on national television, plays on loop in one corner.

Perhaps most affecting is the “Martyrs and Veterans” gallery. Portraits of those killed are displayed with their personal effects—watches, prayer beads, mobile phones—and a “martyrs’ corridor” lists their names on a wall of black marble. One glass case exhibits the bloodied shirt of Erol Olçok, a well-known AK Party campaign strategist, who died alongside his teenage son that night. Interactive touchscreens allow visitors to hear testimonies from survivors and family members, as well as audio of the public call to resist delivered by President Erdoğan via FaceTime.

A final chamber, titled “Triumph of National Will”, presents the aftermath: vast public rallies, arrests, trials, and the eventual transformation of the political system into an executive presidency. The museum closes with an expansive quote from President Erdoğan etched on the wall: “15 July is the rebirth of a nation.”

Erdoğan’s Message: “The Righteous and the Treacherous Revealed Themselves”

Later at the Grand National Assembly, Erdoğan took the podium following a Quranic prayer led by an imam. Notably, many front-row seats reserved for high-profile guests — including members of the judiciary, senior business figures, and diplomats — remained empty, prompting quiet murmurs among attendees. While past speeches on this occasion have stretched well beyond an hour, this year’s address clocked in at just under 15 minutes — succinct but sharply delivered.

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In his speech, the president framed Türkiye’s survival on 15 July as “the triumph of bare hands over tanks, planes, and bombs,” invoking powerful imagery of national sacrifice. He reserved his strongest words for those he accused of equivocation during the crisis. “The gutters are twofold; from one flows light, from the other, filth,” he quoted the poet Necip Fazıl, drawing a line between loyal citizens and what he called “traitors in military uniforms” and “those who ran to the ATMs.”

President Erdoğan also declared that the late Fethullah Gülen — whom he described as a “ringleader” who “died stateless in exile… buried in a pit” — had failed to divide the country.

“The trap set… was shattered by the steadfastness, courage, and heroic resistance of our nation,” he said.

One of his more striking claims was that “Türkiye is greater than Türkiye itself”, referencing the global solidarity shown by members of the Turkish diaspora and allies on that night. Reiterating his long-standing political vision, Erdoğan spoke of a future “Terror-Free Türkiye” and a “Century of Türkiye” built on security, economic growth, and diplomatic strength.

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A Scene of Controlled Ceremony

Though the address struck a defiant tone, the ceremony itself unfolded in a composed and orderly fashion. Applause rose at key moments, yet the atmosphere remained measured and the presence of security was unmistakable.

Even though the programme was tightly scheduled, there were still moments of spontaneity. One fellow journalist managed to briefly approach Erdoğan after the speech and even succeeded in taking a quick photo with him, despite initial attempts by security to usher her away. It was a small reminder that, even within a highly choreographed setting, human moments can still pierce through the protocol.

Outside the Grand National Assembly, a more tranquil scene added a distinctly local touch: several cats lounged in shaded corners of the gardens and marble walkways. Türkiye is well known for its affection toward cats, and the capital is no exception. Nestled discreetly beside a hedge was a small wooden shelter built in the shape of a miniature house, complete with a pitched roof — clearly made for a skinny tabby mother cat and her two kittens lingering nearby. It was a quiet but telling reminder of a national fondness for animals that persists even in the shadow of political ceremony.

As the commemoration continues over the next two days with visits to Istanbul landmarks, including the Bosphorus Bridge — now renamed the July 15 Martyrs’ Bridge — the underlying message remains clear: Türkiye, under Erdoğan casts the memory of that night not only as a failed coup, but as a defining moment of national will and political transformation.

A photo gallery as well as a video from the first day’s events — including scenes from the Presidential Complex, the Democracy Museum, and the Grand National Assembly — can be viewed below.

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