3 ex-army officers receive life sentences in Turkey

By Zafer Fatih Beyaz and Baris Kilic

ANKARA (AA) - Three former Turkish army officers were given aggravated life sentences on Friday for violating the Constitution during the 2016 defeated coup, a military source said.

Lt. Gen. Metin Iyidil, commander of the Land Forces Training and Doctrine Command (EDOK), EDOK chief staff officers Maj. Gen. Hamza Kocyigit and Lutfu Ihsan Yanikoglu were convicted by Ankara’s 2nd Heavy Penal Court of trying to overthrow Turkey’s constitutional order through violence as part of the coup attempt perpetrated by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the source said on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.

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

Turkey 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.