Further arrests in Turkish civil service exam probe

ADIYAMAN, Turkey

 A further 12 people were arrested on Wednesday in an ongoing investigation into alleged civil service recruitment fraud.

The suspects, including three teachers, were detained simultaneously in the provinces of Adiyaman, Van and Sanliurfa in connection with alleged cheating in the 2010 public personnel selection exams. On Tuesday, 25 were arrested across 19 provinces.

Wednesday's arrestees have been sent to appear before a court in southeastern Adiyaman province.

The first wave of arrests came in late March when 62 suspects were seized, 30 of whom were later released.

Police have claimed that members of the “parallel state” - a term used by the Turkish government to describe an alleged conspiracy among the followers of U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen - were involved in the fraud.

Some of those arrested in the first wave face charges of membership of a criminal organization, forgery, illegal and harmful activity in public institutions, destroying criminal evidence and abuse of power.

Since early last year, thousands of police, judges, lawyers and bureaucrats have been reassigned or arrested as part of inquiries into parallel state structures. The group is accused over attempting to subvert the Turkish state and is said to be behind the December 2013 corruption probe into leading Turkish officials, including cabinet ministers.