Turkish prosecutors on Tuesday ordered the detention of 363 people as part of a massive crackdown targeting faith-based civic Gülen movement followers since a controversial coup attempt in 2016.
The majority of the suspects are military members.
The İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office issued detention warrants for 183 Gülen-linked suspects, the majority of whom are former or active duty military members. The state-run Anadolu news agency reported that 154 of the suspects were detained in police operations in 42 provinces.
In Ankara the police detained 30 people on suspicion of Gülen links after the issuance of detention orders for 52 gendarmes by the public prosecutor’s office.
The suspects were accused of using pay phones to maintain their alleged links to the Gülen network.
The Kocaeli Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office also ordered the detention of 15 military members and five others as part of an investigation into the Gülen movement.The five suspects are also former military personnel.
In Muğla the police carried out raids to detain 14 military members and four others over Gülen links.
Meanwhile Ankara police detained 30 suspects as part of an investigation into the so-called “women’s organization” of the Gülen movement after the issuance of detention warrants for 37 people.
Also the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office ordered the detention of 53 military members over Gülen links.
Since July 15, 2016 more than 6,000 military members including high-ranking generals and 150,000 civil servants have been purged under government decrees.
According to the Turkish Interior Ministry, more than 500,000 people have been detained in countrywide police operations and some 30,000 are currently behind bars for their alleged ties to the movement after the abortive coup attempt. (SCF with turkishminute.com)
