Newsman, singer get jail terms over FETÖ links in Turkey

Turkish singer Atilla Tas and journalist Murat Aksoy have once again been jailed on Thursday for their suspected links to the Fetullah Terrorist Group (FETÖ), according to a judicial source.

Istanbul's 25th Criminal Court handed a jail term of three years, one month and 15 days to Tas, and two years and one month to journalist Murat Aksoy for “helping the organization knowingly and willingly”, while not being included in the hierarchical structure within the organization”, said the source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The two had been arrested in April last year, while charges against them were dropped in October after they spent over half a year behind bars.

During the same hearing, 23 other suspects were handed jail terms ranging from six years and three months to seven years and six months, as part of a probe into FETÖ’s structure in media.

They are accused of “being a member of a terror group” and of “participating in a coup attempt”.

Gokce Firat Culhaoglu and Busra Erdal were also among the journalists who received jail terms of six years and three months.

Turkey accuses FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen of having orchestrated the defeated coup attempt of July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.