A hatim was recited by 253 hafiz at Hagia Sophia for the July 15 martyrs

As part of the 10th anniversary commemoration events for the July 15 treacherous coup attempt, a hatim program was held at Hagia Sophia Mosque in memory of the 253 martyrs, and prayers were offered.

Scraper SystemJuly 10, 2026, 09:28 PM

A hatim was recited by 253 hafiz at Hagia Sophia for the July 15 martyrs

As part of the 10th anniversary of FETÖ's treacherous coup attempt on July 15, 2016, numerous events have begun to be organized across the country in cooperation with the Istanbul Governorate, the Presidency's Directorate of Communications, and the July 15 Association.

Between July 10 and 17, many religious, cultural, and social events will be held at various points in the city to commemorate the martyrs who lost their lives in the coup attempt and to recount the struggle of the veterans. The first of the commemoration programs took place at the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque. On the anniversary of the opening of Hagia Sophia Mosque for worship, the 'Blessed Sanctuary, Blessed Loyalty' program was organized.

A hatim was recited by 253 hafiz in memory of the 253 martyrs, and prayers were offered. The program, which drew intense interest from citizens, was attended by Deputy Foreign Minister Musa Kulaklıkaya, Deputy Governors Mehmet Sülün and Ünal Kılıçaraslan, Istanbul MPs Hasan Turan and İsa Mesih Şahin, Major General Hakan Tunç, Istanbul Provincial Mufti Emrullah Tuncer, Fatih Mayor Ergün Turan, and July 15 Association President İsmail Hakkı Turunç.

İSMAİL HAKKI TURUNÇ: 'WE PROMISE TO PROTECT THE HOMELAND LEFT TO US BY OUR ANCESTORS AND MARTYRS WHO MADE THESE LANDS OUR HOMELAND' Speaking to the press after the program, July 15 Association President İsmail Hakkı Turunç said, 'Today at Hagia Sophia, after visiting our esteemed mufti, we performed the hatim program in memory of our 253 martyrs who were killed on July 15 and in memory of our ancestors who made these lands our homeland and left them as a trust,

and for the souls of those who have passed away. We crowned the 253 hatims recited by our hafiz with the prayer of our esteemed mufti.

We express that we promise, as always, to protect the trust left to us by our ancestors who made these lands our homeland, and we commemorate with gratitude all our martyrs who remained faithful to that promise on July 15 and willingly laid down their lives, leaving all their loved ones behind.

We state that we never forget them, and that when the time and place come, we too desire to become martyrs in order to protect the trust they left us. How fortunate are the children of this nation who, with the spirit of martyrdom, protect their homeland, nation, flag, and the values for our future. We see this land, this state, this flag not as an inheritance but as a trust.

Therefore, in our culture, protecting a trust is one of the most important characteristics of a believer. When our esteemed President said, 'I recognize no power other than the power of the nation, I call you all to the squares,' millions of people with that understanding willingly left all their loved ones and went to the squares; from among them, we had 253 martyrs and nearly 2,700 veterans on July 15.

When I visited the families of martyrs and veterans, the mothers and fathers of martyrs, I felt proud when I heard them say, 'One of my children became a martyr, but if another uprising were to happen, with the same understanding and the same feelings, I have three children and I would send all three; let them become martyrs, I would not be sad at all. I have five children, I would send all five, I would not be sad at all.'

How fortunate we are to be children of this nation, how fortunate to have an understanding that sees the state not as an inheritance but as a trust, how fortunate to see the flag not as a piece of cloth but as a trust and a symbol of our freedom. Like you, I am proud to be a member of this nation. God willing, we will protect the trust left to us in the best way until the end of our lives.'

The Istanbul protocol, led by the Istanbul Governorate, as well as the families of martyrs and veterans, also attended. After the hatim and Friday prayer, lokma, rice with meat, and various treats were offered to citizens in Hagia Sophia Square in the name of the July 15 martyrs.

A hatim was recited by 253 hafiz at Hagia Sophia for the July 15 martyrs

As part of the 10th anniversary commemoration events for the July 15 treacherous coup attempt, a hatim program was held at Hagia Sophia Mosque in memory of the 253 martyrs, and prayers were offered.