Ankara court hands down 4 troops aggravated life terms

By Serdar Acil and Ismet Karakas

ANKARA (AA) - Four soldiers were given aggravated life sentences on Friday for their alleged involvement in last year’s defeated coup attempt in Turkey, according to a judicial source.

The four convicts -- Cem Yalcinkaya, Nazmi Tanrikulu, Okan Bakac and Davut Gullucayir -- were from the Electronic Communication and Information Systems School, and the Education Center of the Turkish Land Forces Command.

Ankara 17th Heavy Penal Court also sentenced 11 other convicts in the case to life sentences.

These 15 suspects were convicted of trying to replace the country’s constitutional order and were charged under the penal code 309.

Four others in the case were sentenced to six years and three months in prison, the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, said.

Seven suspects were acquitted in the case, the source added.

Ankara accuses the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), led by U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen, of having orchestrated the foiled coup attempt. The violence left 250 people martyred and around 2,200 others wounded.

The government 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.