July 15 martyrs commemorated at Turkish Embassy in Athens

A commemoration ceremony was held at the Turkish Embassy in Athens on the occasion of July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day.

The event, hosted by Turkish Ambassador to Greece Çağatay Erciyes, was attended by Türkiye’s Consul General in Piraeus Işıl Işık Civelik, Azerbaijan’s Chargé d’Affaires in Athens Gafgaz Aslansoy, embassy staff, and representatives of Turkish institutions based in Athens.

The ceremony began with a moment of silence for the martyrs, followed by the Turkish national anthem. In his address, Ambassador Erciyes stated:

"On the night of July 15, our country was subjected to a treacherous terrorist attack. Members of FETÖ attempted a coup against our constitutional order, democracy, and independence. These brainwashed traitors bombed the Turkish Grand National Assembly and opened fire on civilians. Yet, our people took to the streets at the call of our President, resisting these cowards. Our patriotic soldiers and police did not allow them to succeed."

Ambassador Erciyes emphasized that the resistance on that night marked a victory for democracy and stood as a symbol of national unity, reaffirming that the Turkish nation will never compromise on its independence or freedom.

He warned that FETÖ (Fetullah Terrorist Organization) continues to pose a serious national security threat to all countries in which it operates:

"Sooner or later, this terrorist and criminal network will collapse. When that day comes, its members—currently residing in third countries—will become a burden to their host nations."

The ambassador underlined that Greece has become a refuge for numerous FETÖ members and added:

"Given the current positive climate in our bilateral relations, we expect Greece—as a good neighbor and NATO ally—to cooperate with us more actively in combating FETÖ, PKK, DHKP/C, and other terrorist organizations. We hope the Greek authorities recognize the potential security risks FETÖ poses to Greece as well and take serious steps in counterterrorism efforts."

The ceremony concluded with a photo exhibition featuring scenes from the July 15 resistance and a recitation of the Quran’s Fatiha verse in memory of the martyrs.