Turkish court gives life terms to over 50 FETO convicts

By Mustafa Hatipoglu and Melike Gallenkus

ISTANBUL (AA) - A court in Istanbul on Thursday handed down life terms to 53 convicts linked to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) for their involvement in the July 2016 defeated coup in Turkey, according to a judicial source.

The 22nd Criminal Court convicted 53 out of 131 suspects of "attempting to abolish constitutional order", a source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media, said.

Out of the 53 convicts who received life terms, 18 were given aggravated life sentences.

The court also acquitted 69 suspects of all charges, while three other suspects were sentenced to jail terms of over 12 years, the source added.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the 2016 defeated coup that martyred 250 people and injured nearly 2,200 others.

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.