Jail terms given in Erdoğan’s office bugging case
ANKARA – Anadolu Agency
A court in Ankara on April 19 sentenced 10 suspects linked to the 10 Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) to several jail terms for illegally bugging the office of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in 2014 while he was prime minister.
Sedat Zavar, a former deputy chief of the police intelligence department, was sentenced to 54 years and six months in prison on charges of being a member of the armed terrorist organization, violating dwelling immunity, embezzlement, obtaining information about the security of the state for political spying and violating communication confidentiality.
İlker Usta, a former police officer of the police intelligence department was given 50 years and six months on the same charges.
Ahmet Türer, a former police chief was sentenced to 13 years and six months on charges of being a member of the armed terrorist organization, while Erdoğan’s former chief bodyguard Mehmet Yüksel was given eight months for misconduct.
Former deputy head of president’s guards, Zeki Bulut, was sentenced to 11 years and four months for being a member of the armed terrorist organization and misconduct.
Ömer Altıparmak, former head of police intelligence department, was sentenced to 15 years and six months for being a member of the armed terrorist organization, misconduct and embezzlement.
Former vice president of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey or TÜBİTAK Hasan Palaz was given a 12-year jail term over forgery of official documents and destroying, hiding or tampering criminal evidence.
Former TÜBİTAK employee Gökhan Vicil was handed 12 years in prison on the same charges.
Another former employee of TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center Hamza Turhan was sentenced to 21 years in prison for being a member of the terrorist organization, forgery of official documents, destroying, hiding or tampering the evidence of a crime.
Hüseyin Özbilgin, the former deputy head of police intelligence department, was sentenced to seven months for misconduct.
