Sibel Uğurlu
17 November 2017•Update: 17 November 2017
By Sibel Ugurlu
ANKARA
At least nine people were convicted on Friday for being members of Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind last year’s defeated coup attempt, according to a security source.
The 13th High Criminal Court in the western province of Izmir sentenced a former judge to 10 years and six months in prison for being members of an armed terrorist organization and using ByLock, FETO’s encrypted smartphone messaging application.
In southern Adana province, a married couple appeared before a court for using ByLock and membership of an armed terrorist group.
The 11th High Criminal Court sentenced the husband to 12 years in prison while his wife was handed down a seven-year-and-six-month jail term.
In southern Hatay province, an ex-police officer was sentenced to six years and three months in prison by the 2nd High Criminal Court over charges of being a member of an armed terrorist organization.
Three other ex-police officers were also convicted in northwestern Edirne province.
The 2nd High Criminal Court sentenced them to seven years and six months in prison for being members of a terrorist organization.
In Istanbul, the 14th High Criminal Court sentenced a married couple to six years and three months for using ByLock and membership of an armed terrorist organization.
In northern Giresun province, a former captain, who had been arrested while hiding in a box, was given 12 years in prison by the 2nd High Criminal Court.
FETO and its U.S.-based leader 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.
