Turkey: 12 get prison sentences over FETO links

By Abdulkadir Nisanci, Omer Sut, Recep Bilek, Eyup Elevulu

ANKARA (AA) - At least 12 suspects linked to Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) were convicted and received prison sentences in five separate court hearings on Wednesday, according to judicial officials.

The suspects were accused of being members of an armed terrorist organization and using ByLock mobile application, an encrypted smartphone messaging app used by FETO members before and during last year's coup attempt.

Orchestrated by FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen, the defeated coup left 250 people martyred and some 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.

The High Criminal Court in northeast Bayburt province sentenced seven people to more than nine years in prison, an official, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on talking to the media, said.

In another hearing, 13th High Criminal Court in western Izmir province sentenced a FETO-linked former police officer to more than nine years in prison.

Another suspect in northern Samsun province was given six years in prison by 2nd High Criminal Court.

The northern Ordu province’s 2nd High Criminal Court gave two people up to seven years in prison.

In Kayseri, one person was sentenced to seven years in prison by 2nd High Criminal Court.