The trial regarding the so called "Sledgehammer" ('Balyoz') coup plan opened on Thursday (6 January). It was the third hearing, after the court's second dismissal of the defendants' request to recuse three judges. The Sledgehammer coup plan was allegedly designed to prepare the ground for a coup d'état by targeting Alevi officials and other non-Muslim public figures.

The hearing was held in the court room of the Silivri Prison Premises west of Istanbul. Among the defendants are high-rank military officers such as the former Air Force Commander Ýbrahim Fýrtýna, the former Naval Forces Commander Özden Örnek, the former 1st Army Commander Cetin Doðan, retired General Þürkü Sarýýþýk and Vice Admiral Kadýr Saðdýç.

None of the defendants is in detention. At the Thursday hearing, the Istanbul 12th High Criminal Court read out the decision regarding the dismissal of the demand for recusal. The court furthermore started to read out the indictment that includes 196 defendants.

It is a first in the history of the Turkish Republic that a case regarding a coup attempt which involves forces commanders is being tried at a civil court.