Turkish court convicts ex-teacher over FETO links

By Ahmet Ozler

KARABUK, Turkey (AA) – After convicting a former teacher over links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the terror group behind last year’s defeated coup, a Turkish court on Wednesday ordered his release under judicial control in light of the time he has spent in prison.

Initially the court in the Black Sea province of Karabuk had sentenced him to more than six years in prison, said judicial sources, speaking anonymously due to restrictions on talking to the media.

The ex-teacher, who denied the charges, was accused of being a member of an armed terrorist organization.

Thousands of defendants in such cases are accused of being members of FETO, which attempted to overthrow the government and the country’s constitutional order and commit murder on the night of July 15, 2016.

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