Turkish prosecutors demand two life sentences for Gülen

ISTANBUL

REUTERS photo

Prosecutors in the western province of Uşak have demanded two life sentences and an additional 1,900 years in prison for U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, believed to be the mastermind behind the July 15 failed coup attempt, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Aug. 16.

In a 2,527-page indictment, Gülen is charged with attempting to destroy the constitutional order by force, forming and running an armed terrorist group, and financing terrorism, among other accusations.

Thirteen out of 111 suspects in the case, in which Gülen is the “number one suspect,” have been arrested and all face prison terms ranging from two years to life in jail for forming an armed terrorist organization and running it, financing terrorism, attempting to change the constitutional order, attempting to overthrow the government, and fraud.

The case dates back to September 2015, long before the failed takeover bid, and was launched by the Uşak Prosecutor’s Office into the financial assets of the Fetullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ).

The indictment states that FETÖ members gained access to state archives by infiltrating into official institutions and intelligence units over the course of many years, aiming to seize all of the state institutions rather than to destroy the existing system.  

The Gülenists ran secret activities in line with their aims via forming media organs, schools, dormitories, insurance companies, financial institutions and several other companies, and established an environment of chaos in public by making fake interrogations, giving fake notices, illegal eavesdropping and presenting fake evidence, the indictment added. 

The indictment also said the FETÖ members applied systematic pressure on non-Gülenists and has been active in Uşak since 1984. 

FETÖ has also collected funds from businessmen in the name of “donations” and transferred the money to the United States by means of front companies, and by using banks in the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan and Germany, the indictment added. 

A total of 220 witness testimonies were involved in the indictment, of whom six were complainants and 60 were victims.