Prosecutors working on new ‘ByLock list’ of 129,000 Turkish state personnel

ANKARA

Ankara prosecutors have launched a new investigation into another 129,000 public personnel suspected of using the ByLock application, believed to be a communication means used by members of the Gülen movement, widely thought to be behind Turkey’s failed July 2016 coup attempt. 

The list sent to prosecutors by the National Intelligence Agency (MİT) in December 2016 is the third “ByLock list” naming state officials who have allegedly used the application, daily Milliyet reported.

In the first two lists around 50,000 people were named as suspects of the movement, after which their contacts in the application were also accessible for investigation. The new list of 129,000 presents more detailed information regarding the content of the messages sent using ByLock, thus enabling the identification of Gülen members who have not used the application.     

Meanwhile, out of 105 soldiers’ wives probed for alleged misconduct in the public personnel selection test (KPSS) and over links to the coup attempt, 80 were arrested on Jan. 11. 

The women are charged with “fraud to harm public institutions,” “carrying out organized forgery,” and “membership of a terror organization.”  

In their letter demanding the arrest of the women, prosecutors noted that the husbands of the suspects are currently being prosecuted over their alleged role in the failed coup. The suspects are also identified as having conducted money transactions linked to the alleged “Fethullah Terror Organization (FETÖ),” using the ByLock application, and also being in contact with high-ranking FETÖ members.