Turkish court releases son-in-law of former Deputy PM Bülent Arınç after arrest on Gülen links

ANKARA

An Ankara court ordered the release of the son-in-law of former Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç under judicial control on June 9, four days after he was arrested on charges of being a member of the Fethullahist Terror Organization (FETÖ), widely believed to be behind the failed July 2016 coup attempt, state-run Anadolu Agency has reported. 

The Ankara 2nd Court of Peace has also ruled that Ekrem Yeter was banned from travelling abroad as part of the ongoing case. 

On June 5, the court ordered the arrest of former academic Yeter over alleged links with FETÖ. In his testimony at the Ankara court, Yeter had denied the charges filed against him. 

“I presided over the International [Anatolian] Health Federation [USAF], of which I was a member for a while. In this association, there were people in close relations with Fethullah Gülen community. When I was offered the presidential post, I spoke with former Parliamentary Speaker Bülent Arınç, my father-in-law. He told me it would be beneficial for me to be in charge of such a non-governmental organization. I accepted the post with such feelings,” he said. 

Following his testimony, Yeter was arrested and sent to the Ankara Sincan Cezaevi Prison. 

Arınç had on June 5 told daily Hürriyet that he believed his son-in-law had no connection with FETÖ.

“There is a [judicial] process ongoing. Hopefully, we will get information about him soon. We believe in our son-in-law in every aspect and we also believe he does not have any relationship [with FETÖ],” he said.

Yeter was among thousands of people either suspended or dismissed from their duties as a part of decree laws issued under the state of emergency declared in the wake of the failed coup attempt.

He had been working as an associate professor in the cardiology department of the Yıldırım Beyazıt University’s Medicine Faculty but was dismissed from his post in line with a decree law issued on Sept. 2, 2016.