by Melike Gallenkus and Mustafa Hatipoglu
ISTANBUL (AA) - An Istanbul court on Wednesday handed life sentences to 28 Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) members for attempting to seize Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen Airport during last year’s defeated coup attempt.
The decision came on the 14th trial at Istanbul’s 23rd Criminal Court in the Silivri district of the city, where eight of the suspects were handed aggravated life sentences.
The suspects, who were jailed pending trial, were accused of attempting to "overthrow the constitutional order by using force".
Separately, in the Black Sea province of Samsun, a former police officer and an ex-prosecutor were sentenced to six years and three months in prison for “being member of a terrorist organization” by the 3rd High Criminal Court.
A former member of parliament was also handed a sentence of six years and three months in the northwestern Yalova province for using ByLock, an encrypted mobile phone application used by FETO members before and after the coup attempt, and “being member of a terrorist organization”.
FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the July 15 coup attempt that left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.
Turkey 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.