Couple sentenced to house arrest in FETO probe

By Adsiz Gunebakan

GAZIANTEP, Turkey (AA) – A Turkish court in the southeastern province of Gaziantep on Wednesday sentenced a husband and wife, both former judiciary members, to different prison terms as part of a case linked to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), according to a judicial source.

Former prosecutors Saltuk Bugra Kurt and his wife Derya Kurt were present during the hearing Wednesday, the same source said.

Husband Kurt refused the claims about him and his wife being users of ByLock, an encrypted smartphone messaging app used by FETO members before and during the defeated coup of July 2016 in Turkey.

"My spouse and I have never used ByLock. If we had used this app, there would have to be usernames and messages. I never stayed at FETO’s houses when I was a student, either. Also during my internship, I stayed with my family. I request to be released due to my family's health problems," Saltuk Bugra Kurt said.

The other suspect, Derya Kurt, is alleged to have signed into ByLock nearly 15,000 times, as the report about her states.

Wife Kurt also refused the claims against her, saying she had never used the ByLock app and had no ties with the organization.

The prosecutor of the trial said both had been ByLock users and husband Kurt had been actively involved in FETO activities, eventually demanding that the court penalize them for these crimes.

The court sentenced Saltuk Bugra Kurt to a prison term of eight years, one month and 15 days for “being a member of an armed terrorist organization” and converted his imprisonment to house arrest.

His wife Derya Kurt has been sentenced to six years and three months for the same crime. The court also decreed that her international travel ban would continue.

The couple were released to serve house arrest.

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

Ankara also 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.