New case filed over alleged FETÖ wiretapping plot

İSTANBUL

A fresh case has been filed against 83 individuals, including former police chiefs, accusing them of arranging an illegal wiretapping scheme linked to FETÖ.

The chief public prosecutor's office in Istanbul named 462 individuals as complainants, while former high-ranking police officers Ali Fuat Yılmazer and Erol Demirhan are among the 83 defendants.

According to the indictment, the defendants allegedly used fabricated evidence to link the complainants to terrorism.

FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader Fethullah Gülen orchestrated a failed coup in 2016. It targeted key locations in Ankara, Istanbul and others elsewhere, leading to the deaths of over 250 people.

Phones belonging to individuals and official institutions were wiretapped without any legitimate grounds, citing accusations of being either a leader or member of a terrorist organization, the indictment said.

Among those allegedly wiretapped were government officials, including then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, along with members of various nongovernmental organizations.

The defendants are facing multiple charges, including violating the privacy of communication, breaching the privacy of private life, forgery of official documents, recording personal data, abuse of office and slander. If convicted, they could face prison sentences of up to 59 years.