Ex-exam chief indicted over FETÖ ties

ANKARA-Anadolu Agency

An Ankara public prosecutor indicted the former head of Turkey's central admission board for universities on Dec. 31 over his links to the FETÖ.

Ali Demir, who served as chairman of the country's Student Selection and Placement Center (ÖSYM) between 2010 and 2015, was charged with misconduct and helping members of the terror group cheat on their exams.

The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in Ankara filed an indictment demanding a prison sentence of 18 and a half years for Demir.

According to the indictment, exam questions prepared by the center had been leaked through a computer program installed on the center's computers.

Demir was detained on April 8 in an operation against FETÖ.

The ÖSYM is the organizing body for exams for admission to several institutions including universities.

FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gülen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016 which left 251 people killed and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara also 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.