Istanbul court hands jail terms to 22 former army officers over ‘coup links’

ISTANBUL

Twenty-two former Turkish military officers were given heavy jail terms on May 17 over their links to the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), state-run Anadolu Agency reported, citing a judicial source. 

While Istanbul’s 23rd Heavy Penal Court gave aggravated life sentences to 22 former officers, 14 of them were reduced to life sentences in light of good behavior, the agency reported, citing the source who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

They were all accused of attempting to overthrow the constitutional order.

The court also handed 10 year-plus sentences to four other defendants on charges of being members of a terrorist organization.

Eleven people were injured during the night of July 15, 2016, when pro-coup soldiers tried to take control of Istanbul’s Kartal Bridge and Samandıra tollbooth, according to the indictment against the former officers.

Meanwhile, police detained a total of 18 suspects in Ankara on May 18 over suspected fraud in an exam taken by police commissioner candidates in 2011, an Ankara prosecutor said.

The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s office said the commissioner hopefuls involved with FETÖ had seen the test paper ahead of the exam.

The statement said a police search was underway for three more suspects.

The exam fraud investigations are part of an ongoing probe against FETÖ.

Ankara accuses Gülen of having masterminded the deadly coup attempt of July 15, 2016 during which 250 Turkish nationals died and 2,200 others were wounded.