Turkish court gives life terms to 47 FETO convicts

By Ertugrul Subasi,Cemil Murat Budak and Tanju Ozkaya

ANKARA (AA) - A court on Thursday sentenced 47 Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) convicts to life imprisonment for their involvement in the July 2016 defeated coup, according to a judicial source.

The 13th High Criminal Court in capital Ankara handed down aggravated life sentences to 27 FETO convicts -- including former major general and brigadier general -- while 20 other members were given life terms for violation of the constitutional order, the source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media, said.

The court also gave 217 FETO convicts jail terms ranging from 12 years to 20 years for "providing support to violate the constitutional order".

They were all convicted for their activities at the 58th Artillery Brigade Command and Artillery and Missile School Command in Ankara during the defeated coup.

Additionally, the court released 64 suspects, including 63 soldiers, a colonel and a civil servant.

According to the government, FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, 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.