Turkey: Former governor, ex-police chief get jail terms

By Melike Gallenkus, Mustafa Hatipoglu, Basak Akbulut Yazar

ISTANBUL

A former governor of Istanbul and a former police commissioner in the province were handed jail terms on Friday for their links to Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), according to a judicial source.

The 30th Heavy Criminal Court in Istanbul sentenced former Governor Huseyin Avni Mutlu to three years, one month and 15 days in prison in a trial against FETO’s structure within the civil service, said the official, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on talking to the media.

Mutlu was later released by the court, which considered time already spent in jail, on condition of an international travel ban.

The former police commissioner Huseyin Capkin was also sentenced to two years and one month in prison, the official said.

Both were accused of aiding the organization knowingly and willfully, without however being part of the organization’s hierarchical structure.

Separately, in the southern Adana province, the 2nd Heavy Criminal Court sentenced Tugba Daskin to six years and three months in prison for being member of an armed terrorist organization.

The same court, separately sentenced a former judge to six years, 10 months and 15 days in prison.

In addition, two former police officers were also handed jail sentences of six years, three months and seven years, six months for the same charges, by the 11th Heavy Criminal Court in Adana.

In the northeastern Gumushane province, another former police officer was sentenced to six years and three months in prison for being a member of an armed terrorist organization.

The convict was later released under judicial control.

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, according to the Turkish government.