Prison sentence upheld for former court member

ANKARA-Anadolu Agency

Turkey's Supreme Court on March 20 upheld the prison sentence handed to a former Constitutional Court (AYM) member for being a member of the FETÖ, the group behind the 2016 defeated coup attempt.

With the approval of the Supreme Court Criminal General Board, Erdal Tercan will serve 10 years, seven months and 15 days in prison.

According to the court, Tercan joined the group when he was a university lecturer and continued to be its member with a codename – Ertan – while serving at the Constitutional Court.

FETÖ and its US-based leader Fetullah Gülen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people killed and 2,734 injured.

Turkey accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.