Turkey Issues Arrest Warrants for 58 People Allegedly Linked to Gulen – Reports

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Turkish prosecutors issued on Friday arrest warrants for 58 people, including 13 lawyers, who are allegedly linked to Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen’s movement, referred to as the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) by Ankara, local media reported, citing security sources.

A total of 38 warrants were delivered by Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutors’ Office within the investigation into the suspects’ possible penetration into the Turkish judiciary system and links to a terrorist organization, according to the Anadolu news agency.

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Another 20 warrants on the same charges were issued by Ankara Prosecutor's Office for ex-workers of the state-run TRT broadcaster.

Turkish authorities have been detaining thousands of journalists, judges and human rights activists over their alleged support for the Gulen movement. Ankara considers Gulen and FETO to be behind the coup attempt, which took place in Turkey in July 2016 and was suppressed by government forces, with over 240 people killed and an estimated 2,000 wounded.

Following the unrest, Ankara has accused Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, who has lived in the US state of Pennsylvania since 1999, and his followers, of playing a key role in the coup. Gulen and his supporters strongly deny having played any role in the attempted coup and call for an international investigation.