Turkey: 62 provinces seeing cases of FETO-tied suspects

By Kemal Karadag

ANKARA (AA) - In the year that has passed since the defeated July 15, 2016 coup plotted by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), Turkey has initiated 269 cases in 62 of its 81 provinces around the country.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

According to information the Justice Ministry supplied to Anadolu Agency, after the defeated coup numerous investigations were launched against 6,880 FETO-affiliated defendants.

After the investigations, indictments prepared by prosecutors in 62 provinces against the FETO-linked suspects were sent to the courts.

In total, 269 cases have so far been filed in 62 provinces against 6,880 defendants, out of which 3,857 have been remanded in custody.

The largest number of cases were filed in the provinces of Istanbul, Ankara, Sivas, Kars, Kocaeli, Konya, Kirikkale and Mardin.

After the defeated coup, 40 out of 1,473 defendants appeared before judges in Istanbul, 25 out of 2,183 did so in Ankara, and 17 out of 37 in Sivas.

Over the last year, a total of 12 defendants’ cases were completed and concluded with jail time on charges of trying to mount a coup. Four of these defendants were in Bitlis, three in Kars, two each in Sivas and Erzurum, and one in Istanbul.

A total of 32 defendants was also acquitted.

- Main trial chief suspects

In late May a mass trial began of the 221 chief suspects in the July 15 defeated coup, including former generals, in a purpose-built court. To date 56 of the defendants have entered pleas at the trial.

Among the 221 defendants is U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen, who is being tried in absentia.

Former Air Forces Commander Akin Ozturk, who is seen as the main soldier plotting the coup attempt inside the military, is among these defendants.

The suspects were members of the so-called Peace at Home Council, a committee established by the coup-plotters to replace the government if the putsch had succeeded.

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.