4th International Symposium on July 15 that was held at Marmara University Faculty of Theology Conference Hall was attended by the Minister of Justice Abdulhamit Gül, Mayor of Üsküdar Hilmi Türkmen and journalists, academicians and lawyers. Within the symposium, the speakers discussed July 15 in the context of “defending national will, building the future”.
Rector Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar said in the opening speech of the symposium “Keeping our memory alive by remembering the betrayal of the Fethullah Terrorist Organization to our country is the first condition to fight those traitors and the forces behind it”. Rector Özvar, who continued his speech by emphasizing the struggle of the nation on July 15, stated that our nation took a historical stance against the coup attempt by joining hands with members of the Turkish Armed Forces and the members of the Turkish National Police. “Our nation embraced its will, democracy, and future with their lives and blood. 251 citizens were martyred, and over 2000 we had ghazis to this end . Unless our nation allowed it, the whole world was announced that nobody could do anything with a tank or rifle.
In his speech at the symposium, Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gül noted that July 15 defines as "the last link of a great struggle to protect democracy and the will of the nation" and he said that there are two main differences that require putting July 15 in a separate place on the line of struggle. “The first feature of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization that made the treacherous attempt on July 15 different from the previous ones was that it was the first time in our political history that the nation's own opposition to the suppression of its own voice and its will to be neglected; The second feature, however, the aim of the malicious attempt was beyond the tutelage attempt, an exact bondage attempt.”
Minister Gül said, "Let our nation be at ease: Until our public institutions are completely cleared of the crypto FETÖs that conceal themselves and, the struggle of the judiciary with FETÖ will continue with determination. The independent Turkish judiciary will continue to ask accounts from these traitors."
Üsküdar Mayor Hilmi Türkmen said that what happened on 15 July was an invasion attempt beyond FETÖ (Fethullah Terrorist Organization) being a traitor, betrayal attack. “July 15 is not only a coup attempt, a betrayal attempt, but also an invasion attempt. I would like to underline that it is an invasion attempt” Turkmen said that all these dark ambitions have been wasted by the patriotic struggle of the Turkish Nation.
Tarık Şebik, the President of the 15 July Association, said, "As the Turkish nation brought the end of colonialism with the national struggle 100 years ago, now it has also given hope of light to the oppressed nations with its resistance on the night of 15 July”.
Nedim Şener, Prof. Dr. Ali Bardakoğlu, Former President of Religious Affairs, Prof. Dr. Ali Satan, a faculty member of the History Department of Marmara University, Prof. Dr. Birol Akgün, Board Chairman of Maarif Foundation, Cavit Tatlı, President of Lawyer Association and Dr. Said El-Haj, Middle East Expert, participated in the symposium as a speaker.
