Turkey: Arrest Warrants Issued for 176 Military Personnel Over 2016 Coup Attempt

The Chief Public Prosecutor's Offices of Istanbul and Izmir have issued arrest warrants for 176 military personnel, 174 of whom are active duty. The warrants were issued as part of an investigation into FETÖ (Gulenist organization), suspected of being behind the coup attempt on July 15, 2016.

According to Turkish media reports, 21 suspects have already been arrested in an operation spanning 14 provinces, centered in Istanbul. 13 of those arrested are active duty personnel.

Police operations were conducted simultaneously in Istanbul, Ankara, Aydin, Antalya, Balikesir, Batman, Erzincan, Gaziantep, Izmir, Kahramanmaras, Mardin, Mugla, Samsun, and Sivas.

Procedures for the detention of the suspects are ongoing.

Since April 2018, following the coup attempt, 160,000 people have been arrested, 50,000 have been remanded in custody on charges of participating in FETÖ, and 152,000 civil servants have been dismissed from their posts.

Source: ΚΥΠΕ