Prosecutors confirm fraud in the 2010 public personnel test

ANKARA

The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has sent a letter to an Ankara court, confirming that questions on general culture, general skills and education on the 2010 Public Personnel Selection Exam’s (KPSS) were leaked “at least 12 days” before the test, which was taken by 808,000 people seeking to become civil servants.

The letter, which came following a decision by the Ankara 1st Administrative Court in the case, included the images of the questions that were leaked.

“According to confessions and technical reports, it is certain that the 2010 Public Personnel Selection Exam’s (KPSS) general culture, general skills and education sciences section questions were seized at least 12 days before the test,” the letter said.

The letter also said an investigation into around 2,600 suspects was continuing and that indictments would be prepared against the individuals.

“Indictments were prepared against 230 suspects and the case is being seen at the 2nd Court of Serious Crimes. A second indictment was also prepared against 51 suspects, 16 of whom are under arrest,” said the letter, adding that the indictments against three of the employees from the organization that administered the test were under evaluation. The suspects were reportedly working at the body’s question preparation unit.

The prosecutor’s office also sent gendarmerie, security and the Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) reports confirming the questions were leaked before the test.

Some 15 suspects were arrested in June 2015 as part of a mass investigation into the alleged fraud following a ruling by the Ankara 2nd Criminal Court of Peace.

Police investigating the fraud allegedly found evidence of involvement in the crime by members of the “parallel state,” a term used by the government to refer to followers of U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen.