Erdoğan Also Filed a Criminal Complaint Against Karatepe

Burkay Karatepe, a dismissed captain who took part in the July 15, 2016 coup attempt's plot to assassinate President Tayyip Erdoğan, was arrested in Muğla, Turkey, on August 5, 2026, after being on Interpol's red notice list for a decade. Erdoğan also filed a criminal complaint against Karatepe. The Interior Ministry had announced Karatepe's detention on August 1 in Afyonkarahisar, following joint intelligence by Afyonkarahisar and Eskişehir police.

Karatepe, the last remaining member of the 37-person assassination team, was the helicopter pilot in the special forces unit that attempted the attack in Marmaris, Muğla. He faced charges including attempted assassination of the president, murder due to public duty, violating the Military Penal Code, and armed nighttime robbery in a residence. In 2017, 40 defendants in the 47-defendant assassination trial received aggravated life sentences.

After procedures, Karatepe was brought to Muğla and referred to court, where the prosecutor requested arrest citing flight risk. Muğla 2nd Heavy Penal Court, which had previously separated Karatepe's file, held an emergency session and ordered his arrest on charges including violating the constitution, intentional murder due to duty, attempted intentional murder due to duty, deprivation of liberty through force and threats, aggravated injury, armed threats, violating domicile, and robbery. Erdoğan's lawyer Hüseyin Aydın submitted a complaint to the Muğla Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against Karatepe and those who aided him, seeking prosecution for assassination attempt, constitutional violation, undermining state unity, terrorist organization membership, and harboring a criminal.