News / Turkey

Turkey issues arrest warrant for 70 on-duty soldiers over 2016 botched putsch

Friday, 13 April 2018 1:40 PM [ Last Update: Friday, 13 April 2018 1:43 PM ]

Paramilitary police and special force members escort Akin Ozturk, former Air Force commander, outside the courthouse as nearly 500 suspects, including a number of generals and military pilots accused of leading 2016 failed coup attempt and carrying out attacks from an air base in Ankara, arrive for trial in Ankara, Turkey, on August 1, 2017. (Photo by AP)

A court in Turkey has issued arrest warrants for dozens of serving military personnel on charges of involvement in the July 2016 coup attempt, which the Ankara government says was orchestrated by US-based opposition cleric Fethullah Gulen.

A judicial source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Konya Chief Public Prosecutor's Office made the decision against 70 soldiers on Friday based on testimony given by imprisoned military officials.

The source added that the suspects were apprehended during simultaneous operations in 34 provinces.

During the botched putsch, a faction of the Turkish military declared that it had seized control of the country and the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was no more in charge. The attempt was, however, suppressed a few hours later.

Ankara has since accused Gulen of having orchestrated the coup. The opposition figure is also accused of being behind a long-running campaign to topple the government via infiltrating the country’s institutions, particularly the army, police and the judiciary.

Additionally, the Ankara government has outlawed his movement, and has branded it as the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

In this file photo, Turkish cleric and opposition figure Fethullah Gulen speaks to members of the media at his residence in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, the United States. (Photo by AP)

Gulen has denounced the “despicable putsch” and reiterated that he had no role in it.

“Accusations against me related to the coup attempt are baseless and politically-motivated slanders,” he said in a statement.

The 76-year-old cleric has also called on Ankara to end its “witch hunt” of his followers, a move he said is aimed at “weeding out anyone it deems disloyal to President Erdogan and his regime.”

Turkish officials have frequently called on their US counterparts to extradite Gulen, but their demands have not been taken heed of.

Turkey, which remains in a state of emergency since the coup, has been engaged in suppressing the media and opposition groups suspected to have played a role in the failed coup.

Tens of thousands of people have been arrested in Turkey on suspicion of having links to Gulen and the failed coup. More than 110,000 others, including military staff, civil servants and journalists have been sacked or suspended from work over the same accusations.

The international community and rights groups have been highly critical of the Turkish president over the massive dismissals and the crackdown.

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