Turkey's Supreme Court overturns ruling on ‘Ergenekon' case

Turkey's Supreme Court has overturned Istanbul criminal court's ruling on the Ergenekon case, filed against 274 people including military officers, politicians and journalists over an alleged attempt to overthrow the Turkish government.

The court ascertained that there were several contradictions in the case, including in the formation of the local court, investigation, trial, evidence collection and fair hearing for the accused.

"There is no incidence of admission of 'Ergenekon terror organisation' by the local court, it remains unclear who formed it [the alleged terror group], when [was it formed], failure of revealing its crimes and hierarchical structure, and its leader is also unknown," the court said in the ruling.

The 13th Istanbul Criminal Court ruled to convict more than 200 defendants in August 2013 in the Ergenekon case, sentencing 64 of them to life imprisonment.

The former chief of Turkish Army, Ilker Basbug and nine other generals were also among those who received life sentences.

Previously, the defendants claimed that the activities of the courts were connected to the Gulenists, a group that Turkey's National Security Council considers to be a major threat.

The group led by Fethullah Gulen, a US based preacher of Turkish origin, is accused by the Turkish government of establishing and leading a "parallel state," composed of a network of followers who have infiltrated the judiciary, police force, and other state agencies and have attempted to take over these institutions.