December 01, 2017•Update: December 01, 2017
By Lale Köklü
HATAY, Turkey
17 people were convicted and sentenced to jail on Friday across Turkey for being members of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind last year’s defeated coup, according to judicial sources.
Among the 17 were a former teacher, judge, and police officer.
The 2nd High Criminal Court in the southern Hatay province gave sentences ranging from about four to 10 years in prison to 11 detainees for being members of an armed terrorist group.
They were also convicted of using ByLock, FETO’s encrypted smartphone messaging app.
In the eastern Adiyaman province, a high court sentenced a former teacher to over 11 years in prison for being a member of an armed terrorist group and using ByLock.
In the capital Ankara, the 1st High Criminal Court gave more than two years in prison to a former judge for membership in an armed terrorist group.
In the central Kirikkale province, four FETO members were sentenced to over six years for being members of an armed terrorist organization.
FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup attempt of July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.
Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.
