Kenan Evren

President of Turkey (1917–2015)

  • Fame59.2
  • Momentum0.0
  • Wikipedia33K
Source-basedFalling
Lived 1917–2015, aged 98Turkey
  • Wikipedia
    68 languages
    Cross-language footprint
  • Era
    1917–2015
    Aged 98
  • Awards
    3
    recognised works
Summary
Updated 2026-08-31

Led Turkey's 1980 military coup, ruled as president for seven years, then became the first coup leader in Turkish history sentenced to life for overthrowing democracy.

Biography

About

Ahmet Kenan Evren was a Turkish military officer who seized power on 12 September 1980, deposing Prime Minister Süleyman Demirel and dissolving parliament, the senate, and the constitution. He installed himself as president in 1982 and held the office until 1989. Decades later, on 18 June 2014, a Turkish court found him guilty of obstructing democracy and sentenced him to life imprisonment, stripping his rank from army general down to private. The appeal was still pending when he died at 97 on 9 May 2015.

Voice

In their own words

Sourced, dated quotes from Kenan Evren

Kenan Evren
said
I sometimes feel jealous of countries like the U.S. and Great Britain that have two neighbors. … When you have two neighbors, you have two problems.
The Turkish Times, (News section, April 1, 2002, Year 14 No. 297)
Kenan Evren
said
Turkey serves as an anchor of democracy, freedom, and stability in a region in turmoil.
US Department of State Bulletin, Sept, 1988
Kenan Evren
said
Many axes are being kept under cover, waiting in ambush, ready to pounce, when we resign. Have no worries.
Strong Army Medicine, Time. (Dec. 08, 1980)
Kenan Evren
said
All freedoms provided by democracy are for those who believe in it.
An Uneasy Honeymoon, Time. (Sep. 29, 1980)
Kenan Evren
said
All my trust in the politicians had been rubbed away.
On 17 September 1980, five days after the coup, Evren comments on the political leaders of the standing political parties.
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By the numbers

Score breakdown

The six component signals behind the Fame score, and their ranks across the leaderboards.

Fame
Falling
59.2
Composite of search demand, mentions, audience & graph footprint.
Score components
Historical25.2
Source confidence60.0
Completeness70.0
Global rank
Country rank
Category rank
Receipts

Sources

  • Wikidata
    wikidata · wikidata.org
    High confidence
  • Wikipedia
    wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org
    High confidence
  • Pantheon 2.0
    database · pantheon.world
    High confidence