Turkey: Life terms sought for 17 FETO terror suspects

ANKARA

Turkish prosecutors on Monday demanded life sentences for 17 FETO suspects for orchestrating the 2016 coup attempt in Turkey.

They were accused of attempting to take control of the police intelligence department in order to cut off the Turkish government from activities occurring on the night of the coup bid.

The prosecutors demanded aggravated life sentences for eight defendants, including Mustafa Kocyigit. They allegedly used the Twitter account, Fuat Avni, for attempting to overthrow the constitutional order.

The prosecutors asked for life in prison for all the defendants, most of whom were employees of the police department, on the counts of disclosing state secrets and spying.

They also demanded 20 years in prison on the count of obtaining classified information.

Moreover, 26 years in prison were demanded for all of the defendants over cybercrime.

Also, 15 years were demanded for nine defendants for being members of an armed terrorist organization.

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in which 251 people were martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Turkey 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.

* Writing by Havva Kara Aydin