A court on Wednesday ordered the last two surviving leaders of Turkey's 1980 military coup to remain in the country before their trial in April, state-run television reported.
The Ankara court also ordered that Kenan Evren, the 94-year-old former Turkish president who came to power in the military take-over, and former air force commander Tahsin Sahinkaya, who is 86, must be brought to court by force if they fail to attend the April 4 opening hearing, TRT television reported.
The coup leaders, both in poor health, were charged with crimes against the state earlier this month and face possible life imprisonment for leading the coup. Their prosecution was made possible after constitutional amendments passed last year lifted their immunity and allowed them to be brought to trial.
The two defendants have not asked to leave Turkey ahead of their trial. The legal action against Evren and Sahinkaya comes as Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Islamic-rooted government, which has won three successive elections, is curtailing the military's clout in Turkey.
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