Turkey issues dozens of arrest warrants for military personnel over alleged links to 2016 coup

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has issued apprehension warrants for 63 active-duty subject unit accused of links to nan Gülen movement, which Ankara blames for nan July 2016 grounded coup attempt

According to a connection released, simultaneous operations were carried retired crossed 36 provinces, resulting successful nan detention of 56 suspects.

Among those detained are 4 colonels, arsenic good arsenic officers from nan Turkish land, naval, and aerial forces and nan gendarmerie.

The prosecutor's agency said that nan suspects see 8 unit from nan aerial force, 13 from nan Gendarmerie General Command, 36 from nan onshore forces, and six from nan navy.

The detainees comprise 4 colonels, 8 lieutenant colonels, 12 majors, 15 captains, and 24 non-commissioned officers.

The connection alleges that these individuals person ties nan group founded by cleric Fethullah Gülen, who lived successful self-imposed exile successful nan United States from 1999 until his decease successful October 2024.

The group is accused by Turkish authorities of orchestrating nan 2016 coup attempt, which claimed nan lives of astir 290 people.

The prosecutor's agency said successful a statement: "The apprehension and detention of 63 suspects successful Istanbul and 35 different cities was launched simultaneously astatine 6 americium coming (5 americium CEST), successful accordance pinch instructions fixed to nan Istanbul Police Anti-Terror Branch Directorate. We will support you informed of further developments."

On nan evening of 15 July 2016, subject units loyal to nan plotters launched an attempted coup d'état and took to nan streets of Ankara and Istanbul, bombing authorities buildings including nan Turkish Parliament and nan statesmanlike palace.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was connected vacation successful Marmaris astatine nan time.

Several elder officials, including past Chief of General Staff Hulusi Akar and General Yaşar Güler (now Defence Minister), were taken hostage.

Survival of nan state

In Friday's statement, nan prosecutor's agency said nan suspects had been identified done telephone connection records.

The connection described nan Gülen activity arsenic "the biggest threat to nan law bid and endurance of nan state," and claimed that nan number of undetected subject unit affiliated pinch nan organisation exceeded those who actively participated successful nan coup.

Although circumstantial charges were not detailed, nan prosecutor's agency noted that astir 25,800 subject unit person been detained successful relationship pinch nan grounded coup effort since 2016.

The Gülen activity — officially referred to by nan authorities arsenic nan "Fethullahist Terrorist Organisation/Parallel State Structure" (FETÖ/PDY) — has agelong been accused of establishing a clandestine web wrong authorities institutions, including nan judiciary, constabulary and military.

The group has been implicated successful various criminal activities, including leaking assemblage entranceway exam questions and orchestrating nan assassination of world Necip Hablemitoğlu.

It is besides accused of engagement successful nan execution of journalist Hrant Dink and different superior crimes.

The first ineligible lawsuit against nan organisation was revenge successful 1999. The indictment accused Gülen and his followers of trying to create "an forbidden organisation pinch nan purpose of establishing a authorities based connected Islamic principles by changing nan law system."

Although primitively Gülen was considered a friend and protagonist of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, tensions betwixt nan Gülen activity and nan ruling AK Party escalated importantly successful 2013 during a corruption investigation, dubbed by critics arsenic a coup attempt, led by prosecutors allegedly linked to nan group.

Following nan 2016 coup attempt, further crackdowns took spot nether a authorities of emergency, and galore individuals were dismissed via emergency decrees.

Critics person raised concerns complete inconsistencies successful nan enforcement of justice. While immoderate high-profile businessmen pinch alleged ties to nan activity person avoided prison, galore low-level affiliates were jailed aliases mislaid their jobs.

Former AK Party MP Şamil Tayyar claimed that a "FETÖ banal exchange" operated during nan purges, wherever businessmen could allegedly debar prosecution by paying bribes.

"There are millions of dollars involved," Tayyar said.

"They’re releasing businessmen nether nan guise of being informants. This is happening each complete Turkey."