July 15 Heroes Commemorated in Saraçhane

The democracy heroes of July 15 were commemorated in the program held in Saraçhane with the presence of our President Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

A special program was held in Saraçhane on the occasion of the 6th anniversary of the July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day. Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya, Fatih Mayor M. Ergün Turan, deputies and citizens attended the program, which was held with the presence of our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who was greeted with great enthusiasm by the citizens and started his speech by greeting the attendants of the program, said: “Today is the 6th anniversary of the betrayal of July 15. In this most vile coup attempt of our recent history, 252 of our brothers and sisters in total, including those who died after being injured, were honored with martyrdom.”

Wishing God's mercy to the martyrs of July 15, President Erdoğan conveyed his wishes for health and well-being to the veterans who were injured while resisting the coup plotters' planes, helicopters, tanks and weapons with their bare hands, and said: “May God not put our nation to tests like July 15 again, let no one take our children away from us, and test our country with such threats.”

“OUR NATION MADE HISTORY ON JULY 15”

Expressing that there are turning points in the history of societies that will not be forgotten for centuries and will be told like an epic for generations, President Erdoğan added: “Our nation, with the strength of faith in their hearts, made a history by ensuring that the coup attempt, which started at sunset in the evening, failed with the sunrise in the morning. Thank God those who, for nearly two centuries, have brought this nation to their knees with war, defeatism, coup d’état, tutelage, terrorism, political instability, economic crisis, and social conflict in every period it wanted to stand up, failed once again.”

Reminding that the insidious play, which was staged under different disguises at different times, hit the nation's faith-filled chest on the night of July 15, President Erdoğan said: “Our nation, which dispersed the dark clouds that settled over it with the Balkan War, added a new ring to its glorious and honorable history with the national struggle. On the night of July 15, we proved once again to our friends and foes that our Republic, which is not our first but our last state, will prevail on the basis of the superiority of the national will.”

Stating that on the night of July 15, all those who took action from their homes, workplaces and neighborhoods to resist the coup plotters set out by taking the risk of martyrdom, President Erdoğan said: “When we look at the memories of our martyrs, we see that they all marched against the coup plotters with the same consciousness, the same devotion, the same will and the same determination.”

HOMELAND IS THE WORD THAT MAKES US SHIVER

In the program, Fatih Mayor M. Ergün also made a speech and said: “Homeland is the word that makes us shiver. Homeland is the land where we put our foreheads in prostration and soaked with the blood of our martyrs. Just like Saraçhane Square, how happy are those who set up a barrier against the traitors who aimed at their homeland and shield them with their chests. The whole world saw in these squares that hearts full of faith and patriotism cannot be intimidated or taken into captivity. I believe that especially our young people should understand the meaning and importance of today very well. We will do whatever we can to keep this day alive in our memories. With these feelings and thoughts, I greet you all, once again I commemorate all our martyrs and veterans with mercy and gratitude.”