Court in Turkey sentences six FETO-linked journalists to life imprisonment

An Istanbul court on Friday handed down aggravated life sentences to six journalists for their links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup in Turkey, a judicial source said.

Nazli Ilicak, Ahmet Altan, Mehmet Altan, Fevzi Yazici, Yakup Simsek and Sukru Tugrul Ozsengul were convicted for attempting to overthrow the constitutional order, said the source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on talking to the media.

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the failed coup of July 15, 2016 that claimed the lives of more than 250 people and injured nearly 2,200 others.

Police arrest 22 FETO suspects across Turkey

At least 22 suspects were arrested across Turkey for alleged links to the FETO, said a police source on Friday.

The arrests came after Ankara prosecutors issued warrants for 52 suspects in eight provinces – including the capital Ankara, as part of a probe into the terrorist group’s financial structure.

Among the suspects were some businessmen, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.

The hunt for other suspects is ongoing, the source added.

Ankara accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the government through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.

In the wake of the defeated coup, tens of thousands of FETO suspects have been arrested, including many in the armed forces, police, judicial system, education and business sectors.