2 FETO suspects released in defunct Turkish daily case

By Huseyin Kulaoglu, Muhammed Enes Can

ISTANBUL (AA) - An Istanbul court on Friday released two former columnists from a shuttered daily linked to Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) -- the group behind the 2016 defeated coup, a judicial official said.

Istanbul’s 13rd Heavy Penal Court ruled the release of Ali Bulac and Mehmet Ozdemir -- former columnists for the now defunct Zaman newspaper -- under judicial control and also ordered a travel ban for each.

The case tries 11 suspects, 4 of whom are in jail pending trial.

Among those in custody are Ibrahim Karayegen, Mumtazer Turkone, Ahmet Turan Alkan ve Mustafa Unal.

The court decided to hold the next hearings of the trial on June 7, 8.

Early in April, the chief public prosecutor urged the court to slap the suspects with jail term from seven to fifteen years over the charges of attempting to overthrow the constitutional order, membership in armed terror group and helping a terrorist organization.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup attempt of July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.