Turkey indicts 3 ex-prosecutors linked to 2013 probe

ISTANBUL

Istanbul’s deputy chief public prosecutor has called for aggravated life imprisonments for three former prosecutors, who were dismissed for misconduct over their alleged involvement in a 2013 anti-graft probe targeting Turkey's senior government officials.

According to Omer Faruk Aydiner, who announced the bill of indictment Thursday, former prosecutors Zekeriya Oz, Celal Kara, and Mehmet Yuzgec will be indicted for "forming an organization to commit crime" and "attempting to overthrow the government by use of force", “misconduct”, “abusing the duty” and “crime of forgery”.

Zekeriya Oz will face aggravated imprisonment plus between 27.5 and 72 years in prison; Celal Kara aggravated imprisonment plus 20.5 to 62 years; and Mehmet Yuzgec aggravated imprisonment plus 12.5 to 38 years in prison, according to the indictment.

“It is understood the December 17 [2013] investigation is not a corruption case, the plaintiff -- as part of the operation to overthrow the Turkey’s president -- aimed to link civilians with ministers, then to Republic of Turkey’s president.”

In December 2014, the three prosecutors were suspended for their alleged roles in the anti-graft probe against several high-profile figures, including the sons of three former government ministers and leading Turkish businessmen.

The government had denounced the probe as a "dirty plot" constructed by the U.S.-based preacher Fethullah Gulen’s movement and his alleged "parallel state" -- a purported group of Turkish bureaucrats and senior officials embedded in the country's institutions, including the judiciary and police, who are allegedly trying to undermine the Turkish government.

The three were dismissed in May 2015 in accordance with Article 69 of the Judges and Prosecutors' Law No. 2802, which states that judges and prosecutors would be dismissed from duty if their acts damaged the honor of their profession, and of the reputation of their public post.