Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses a rally to mark the first anniversary of foiling the failed coup attempt in Istanbul, Turkey, July 15, 2017. (Xinhua/He Canling)
ANKARA, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan early Sunday hailed the victory for defeating the military coup attempt last year, threatening to reinstate death penalty.
At a mass rally to mark the July 15 defeat of attempted coup in front of the parliament building, Erdogan addressed the crowds at 2:32 a.m. local time (2332 GMT), the time the parliament was bombed on the night of the coup attempt.
Erdogan said the coup plotters targeted symbols of Turkish democracy, referring to the bomb attack on parliament while lawmakers were inside.
"My nation marched with their faith and flag. There is no other nation who stop bullets by their chests. There is no other nation that stop tanks with punch," he was cited as saying by private channel NTV.
The president threatened to reinstate death penalty during the speech as he has repeatedly said since the thwarted plot.
The National Security Council will discuss on the extension of the current state of emergency by another three months and will send its proposal to the government Monday, Erdogan said.
The Turkish president has inaugurated a monument early Sunday in Ankara, honoring the 249 people who have died in the resistance against last year's failed coup.
Week-long series of memorials and celebrations have taken place to mark the first anniversary of the July 15, 2016, failed coup attempt across Turkey. The government declared July 15 as "Democracy and National Unity day".
The coup attempt of last year was thwarted leaving behind 249 dead and over 2,200 wounded.
