Turkish authorities have reinstated 1,823 civil servants after finding they had no links to the group blamed for the 2016 failed coup, state-run news agency Anadolu reported Friday.

The public sector employees were sacked after being accused of downloading an encrypted messaging app known as Bylock, which the authorities say was used by the movement of US-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen who is blamed for the attempted putsch.

But late last year, the authorities said that the app had been downloaded by thousands of people without their knowledge.