UPDATE - Turkey: 15 get life for attack on ruling AK Party HQ

By Mustafa Hatipoglu, Melike Gallenkus, and Kubra Chohan

ISTANBUL (AA) - An Istanbul court on Wednesday sentenced 15 people to life in prison for attempting to take over the Istanbul headquarters of Turkey’s ruling party during the July 2016 defeated coup.

The Istanbul 23rd Heavy Penal Court ordered aggravated life sentences for four of the group, while the rest got simple life sentences.

The attempt to take over the Justice and Development (AK) Party Istanbul headquarters happened during the deadly coup attempt, plotted and carried out by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen.

The defeated coup on July 15, 2016 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.

-42 others get jail for FETO terror membership

Separately, 42 more people were convicted and sentenced to jail on Wednesday for being members of FETO, according to a security source.

The 2nd High Criminal Court in the northwestern Canakkale province handed down life sentences to two former commanders, one of them responsible for the Canakkale (Dardanelles) Strait, said the source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

In the Black Sea province of Samsun, six people in three separate hearings received sentences of over six years apiece from the 3rd High Criminal Court for being members of a terrorist group.

A High Criminal Court in the central Kirsehir province handed down jail terms to 11 former police officers and two former teachers ranging from six to 15 years.

In the southern Kahramanmaras province, one person was sentenced to over six years in prison.

A high criminal court in the Black Sea province of Kastamonu gave 15 former police officers jail terms ranging from six to seven years, while another person in the same trial received one year and six months.

Also in Kastamonu, three former court employees were handed jail terms of over six years in prison.

In the southern Hatay province, a person who confessed that she was using Bylock -- an app used by FETO members to communicate during and after the defeated coup attempt -- was convicted and given a term of over four years in prison.