ANKARA
Ankara's chief prosecutor has indicted 54 people for allegedly belonging to a group attempting to overthrow the Turkish government.
The indictment stated illegal wire-tapping was performed by an illegal "parallel state" movement in the police department.
The suspects were charged with suppressing people and groups who did not share the same views as them.
Chief Prosecutor Halil Mackaya said the suspects were accused of forgery of official documents, violation of confidentiality of communication, violation of privacy, recording of personal data and slander.
Graft investigation
An Ankara court on Thursday accepted an indictment from the chief prosecutor accusing seven people of belonging to a group attempting to overthrow the Turkish government.
The Turkish government accuses the Gulen movement, led by U.S.-based Turkish preacher Fetullah Gulen, of working to overthrow the government by infiltrating state institutions, mainly the police and judiciary.
Gulen supporters are accused by the government of engaging in long-term eavesdropping on high-ranking government officials and mounting a coup d'etat attempt through a graft investigation in December 2013 that targeted cabinet members.
The "parallel state" is group of Turkish bureaucrats and senior officials which the government says are embedded in the country's institutions, including the judiciary and police, and trying to undermine the Turkish government.
