Turkey issues detention orders for 34 former state TV personnel

Wednesday 12 Jul 2017

Turkey
Suspected supporters of the U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen are escorted by plainclothes police officers as they arrive at the police headquarters in Kayseri, Turkey, April 25, 2017 (Photo: Reuters)

Turkey issued detention warrants on Wednesday for 34 former personnel of the state-owned broadcaster TRT in an investigation targeting supporters of the U.S.-based cleric accused of being behind last July's failed coup, state media said.

All 34 were suspected users of ByLock, an encrypted messaging app the government says was used by cleric Fetullah Gulen's followers, state-run Anadolu news agency reported. They were previously dismissed due to alleged links to the putsch.

In a separate operation, police detained 14 non-commissioned army officers early on Wednesday in six provinces in an investigation into the coup attempt, Dogan news agency said.

About 50,000 people have been jailed pending trial and some 150,000 state workers including teachers, judges and soldiers, have been suspended in the crackdown under emergency rule which was imposed soon after the attempted military takeover.

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