136 detained in searches at Istanbul courts over failed coup attempt
ISTANBUL
A total of 136 judiciary personnel working at three of Istanbul’s courts were detained on Aug. 15, in an operation to apprehend suspected Fethullahist Terrorist Organization/Parallel State Structure (FETÖ/PDY) members believed to have been behind the failed July 15 coup attempt. Police were seeking a total of 173 judiciary personnel who are subjected to detention warrants issued by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office’s Terrorism and Organized Crime Bureau, at Istanbul’s Çağlayan, Bakırköy and Gaziosmanpaşa courthouses.
Some 106 suspects were detained in the Istanbul-based operation after detention warrants were issued for a total of 129 personnel at Çağlayan and Gaziosmanpaşa and 44 in Bakırköy in the early hours of the morning.
In addition, police later detained another 30 judiciary personnel who were working at the Bakırköy courthouse as a part of the investigation.
Operations were also conducted simultaneously in four provinces including the capital Ankara, the Central Anatolian province of Eskişehir, the Black Sea province of Trabzon and the Aegean province of Aydın.
The entrances and exists to all three courthouses were blocked by police during searches that started earlier in the day as special forces police took security precautions outside the buildings.
The police carried out searches in the rooms and houses of the personnel, while the computers of the suspects were also investigated.
Detainees were taken to the police headquarters on Istanbul’s Vatan Avenue to provide testimony.
Meanwhile, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office’s Terrorism and Organized Crime Bureau also issued detention warrants for another 17 personnel working at the Büyükçekmece courthouse in the afternoon hours as a part of the investigation.
Police carried out searches inside the houses and rooms of the 17 suspects, while computers belonging to the suspects were also investigated.
Some 106 suspects were detained in the Istanbul-based operation after detention warrants were issued for a total of 129 personnel at Çağlayan and Gaziosmanpaşa and 44 in Bakırköy in the early hours of the morning.
In addition, police later detained another 30 judiciary personnel who were working at the Bakırköy courthouse as a part of the investigation.
Operations were also conducted simultaneously in four provinces including the capital Ankara, the Central Anatolian province of Eskişehir, the Black Sea province of Trabzon and the Aegean province of Aydın.
The entrances and exists to all three courthouses were blocked by police during searches that started earlier in the day as special forces police took security precautions outside the buildings.
The police carried out searches in the rooms and houses of the personnel, while the computers of the suspects were also investigated.
Detainees were taken to the police headquarters on Istanbul’s Vatan Avenue to provide testimony.
Meanwhile, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office’s Terrorism and Organized Crime Bureau also issued detention warrants for another 17 personnel working at the Büyükçekmece courthouse in the afternoon hours as a part of the investigation.
Police carried out searches inside the houses and rooms of the 17 suspects, while computers belonging to the suspects were also investigated.
