execution of Erdal Eren

{{Short description|1980 execution in Turkey}}

File:Erdal_Eren'in_mezarı.jpg

Erdal Eren was left-wing militant executed by hanging in the aftermath of the military coup in September 1980 in Turkey. Eren was born on the 25 September 1961 or March 1962{{Cite web|title=Evren bu zalimliği yaptı mı?|url=https://www.sozcu.com.tr/2015/yazarlar/saygi-ozturk/evren-bu-zalimligi-yapti-mi-829479/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-02|website=www.sozcu.com.tr|archive-date=2020-09-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200916054834/https://www.sozcu.com.tr/2015/yazarlar/saygi-ozturk/evren-bu-zalimligi-yapti-mi-829479/}}{{cite web |url=https://tr.wikisource.org/wiki/Erdal_Eren%27in_babas%C4%B1n%C4%B1n_Kenan_Evren%27e_mektubu |title=Erdal Eren'in babasının Kenan Evren'e mektubu - Vikikaynak |website=tr.wikisource.org |access-date=13 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210927221114/https://tr.wikisource.org/wiki/Erdal_Eren%27in_babas%C4%B1n%C4%B1n_Kenan_Evren%27e_mektubu |archive-date=27 September 2021 |url-status=dead}}{{Cite web |last=Benli |first=Mesut |date=2007 |title=Erdal Eren'in ailesi devletten özür bekliyor |url=http://www.radikal.com.tr/haber.php?haberno=232642 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141214200403/http://www.radikal.com.tr/haber.php?haberno=232642 |archive-date=14 December 2014 |website=Radikal}}{{Cite web |date=2016-09-26 |title=Mücadele sürdükçe Erdallar yaşayacak - Evrensel.net |url=https://www.evrensel.net/haber/99706/mucadele-surdukce-erdallar-yasayacak |access-date=2023-03-08 |archive-date=2016-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160926170602/https://www.evrensel.net/haber/99706/mucadele-surdukce-erdallar-yasayacak |url-status=bot: unknown }} in Şebinkarahisar, Giresun. His death sparked outrage in the Turkish society, as, according to his lawyer, he was 17 years old at the time of his execution. However, his father wrote in his letter to Kenan Evren that during the event Zekeriya Önge was killed, Eren was 18 years and 4 months old. Though, the issue of his age had not been important or agitated at the trial itself. It was later brought up in an appeal statement after the death penalty sentence had already been decided by the court.{{Cite web |date=2015-05-13 |title=Evren, bu zalimliği yaptı mı? – Sözcü Gazetesi |url=https://www.sozcu.com.tr/2015/yazarlar/saygi-ozturk/evren-bu-zalimligi-yapti-mi-829479/ |access-date=2023-03-08 |archive-date=2015-05-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150513221731/https://www.sozcu.com.tr/2015/yazarlar/saygi-ozturk/evren-bu-zalimligi-yapti-mi-829479/ |url-status=bot: unknown }} Eren was a student at a vocational high school in Ankara and a member of the Patriotic Revolutionary Youth Association.{{Cite web|title=Erdal Eren 35 Yıldır 17 Yaşında|url=https://www.bianet.org/bianet/siyaset/170123-erdal-eren-35-yildir-17-yasinda|access-date=2021-03-02|website=Bianet – Bagimsiz Iletisim Agi|archive-date=2016-08-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160830064055/http://bianet.org/bianet/siyaset/170123-erdal-eren-35-yildir-17-yasinda|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|date=13 December 2017|title=Erdal Eren kimdir? 17 yaşında idam edilen Erdal Eren 37. yıl dönümünde anılıyor!|url=https://www.sozcu.com.tr/2017/gundem/erdal-eren-kimdir-17-yasinda-idam-edilen-erdal-eren-37-yil-donumunde-aniliyor-2129711/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-02|website=www.sozcu.com.tr|archive-date=2018-03-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323053422/http://www.sozcu.com.tr/2017/gundem/erdal-eren-kimdir-17-yasinda-idam-edilen-erdal-eren-37-yil-donumunde-aniliyor-2129711}} He was also a member of the Hoxhaist Revolutionary Communist Party of Turkey.{{Cite web |date=2016-09-26 |title=Mücadele sürdükçe Erdallar yaşayacak - Evrensel.net |url=https://www.evrensel.net/haber/99706/mucadele-surdukce-erdallar-yasayacak |access-date=2023-03-08 |archive-date=2016-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160926170602/https://www.evrensel.net/haber/99706/mucadele-surdukce-erdallar-yasayacak |url-status=bot: unknown }}

He was arrested on the 2 February 1980 during a protest against the murder of Sinan Suner, who had been killed by a member of the security detail of {{Interlanguage link|Cengiz Gökçek|lt=Cengiz Gökçek|tr}} from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). During the protest, Eren fled a confrontation with the police, but was later caught. The officer who caught him, {{Interlanguage link|Zekeriya Önge|lt=Zekeriya Önge|tr|Zekeriya Önge}}, was shot a few moments later{{Cite web|date=February 1990|title=Condemned on "evidence" extracted under torture|url=https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/200000/nws210021990en.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=2 March 2021|website=Amnesty International|page=6|archive-date=27 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727102232/https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/200000/nws210021990en.pdf}} and Eren was prosecuted and sentenced to death for the murder on 19 March.{{Cite web|title=Erdal Eren kimdir?|url=https://www.haberturk.com/erdal-eren-kimdir-erdal-eren-ne-zaman-neden-idam-edildi-2801383|access-date=2021-03-02|website=www.haberturk.com|date=12 September 2020|language=tr|archive-date=2021-05-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506233031/https://www.haberturk.com/erdal-eren-kimdir-erdal-eren-ne-zaman-neden-idam-edildi-2801383|url-status=live}} During trial Eren denied having killed Önge and witnesses testified that the police officer was shot from behind and from some distance by a third party. However, in an interview with Savaş Ay shortly before he was executed Eren claimed to have shot Önge and assumed Önge was killed by his as well as another soldier's shot.{{Cite web|url=https://odatv4.com/beni-infaz-edecekler-ibret-i-lem-icin-infaz-edecekler-13121859.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107053844/https://odatv4.com/beni-infaz-edecekler-ibret-i-lem-icin-infaz-edecekler-13121859.html|archive-date=2020-11-07|title=Beni infaz edecekler ibret-i âlem için infaz edecekler}} Eren was hanged on the 13 December 1980 in Ulucanlar prison{{Cite web|title=Erdal Eren anılıyor (Erdal Eren kimdir?)|url=https://www.ntv.com.tr/turkiye/erdal-eren-aniliyor-erdal-eren-kimdir,TB1lHs52R0uou9tMBQVTrg|access-date=2021-03-02|website=www.ntv.com.tr|language=tr|archive-date=2020-12-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201213113321/https://www.ntv.com.tr//turkiye/erdal-eren-aniliyor-erdal-eren-kimdir,TB1lHs52R0uou9tMBQVTrg|url-status=live}} and buried in Karşıyaka cemetery.{{Cite web|date=2017-12-13|title=Erdal Eren mezarı başında anıldı|url=https://www.gazeteduvar.com.tr/gundem/2017/12/13/erdal-eren-mezari-basinda-anildi|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-02|website=www.gazeteduvar.com.tr|language=tr-TR|archive-date=2021-08-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827090832/https://www.gazeteduvar.com.tr/gundem/2017/12/13/erdal-eren-mezari-basinda-anildi}} The coup leader, Kenan Evren, claimed that Eren was a terrorist and had murdered Önge by shooting him from behind.{{Cite web|last=Gazetesi|first=Evrensel|title=Turkey's Labour Youth representative: The youth needs determined communists like Erdal Eren|url=https://www.evrensel.net/daily/421130/turkeys-labour-youth-representative-the-youth-needs-determined-communists-like-erdal-eren|access-date=2021-03-02|website=Evrensel.net|language=en-EN|archive-date=2021-04-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210402095853/https://www.evrensel.net/daily/421130/turkeys-labour-youth-representative-the-youth-needs-determined-communists-like-erdal-eren|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|date=2012-04-04|title=Turkey's trial of Evren and Sahinkaya is historic moment|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17605962|access-date=2021-03-02|archive-date=2020-09-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200908140635/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17605962|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=Butler|first=Daren|title=Turkish coup victims call General Evren to account|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2012-04-02-sns-rt-us-turkey-coup-trialbre8310fk-20120402-story.html|access-date=2021-03-02|website=chicagotribune.com|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-07-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210708222016/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2012-04-02-sns-rt-us-turkey-coup-trialbre8310fk-20120402-story.html|url-status=live}}