Turkey seeks Interpol red notices for three Gülen-linked former prosecutors

ANKARA

Turkey on Nov. 27 requested Interpol red notices for three former prosecutors linked to the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), accused of being behind the July 2016 coup attempt.

The Supreme Court has issued a request for red notices covering ex-prosecutors Zekeriya Öz, Celal Kara and Mehmet Yüzgeç, who are sought over the December 2013 corruption probe.

The fugitive suspects launched a graft investigation against senior government officials on Dec. 17-25, 2013.

According to a 557-page indictment against the trio, Istanbul prosecutors are seeking aggravated life terms as well as up to 72 years of imprisonment on several charges, including attempting to overthrow the Turkish government, establishing and managing an armed terrorist organization and abuse of office.

Moreover, an Istanbul court began hearing the trial of 50 former soldiers accused of attempting to occupy a municipality building that left 14 people killed during last year’s defeated coup.

Among the 14 people who were killed, Prof. İlhan Varank, the older brother of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Chief Adviser Mustafa Varank, also lost his life in front of the Istanbul Mayor’s Office.

The trial of 50 former soldiers at Istanbul’s 26th Heavy Penal Court began with the attendance of 150 lawyers representing the municipality.

The indictment by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutors also included a demand for triple aggravated life sentences for each of the 50 FETÖ suspects accused of attempting to “overthrow the government and the constitutional order” and “attempting to overthrow the parliament.”

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