Turkish prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for 63 active-duty military personnel suspected of links to a group that Ankara accuses of orchestrating the failed 2016 coup attempt. The news was reported on May 23 by the Associated Press, citing a statement from the Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office.
Among the suspects are four colonels from different branches of the armed forces — the army, navy, air force, and gendarmerie. During nationwide raids carried out in the morning, 56 individuals were detained. The detainees are suspected of ties to the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), a group banned in Turkey and held responsible by the government for the coup attempt.
According to prosecutors, the suspects were identified through their phone communications. The statement emphasized that FETÖ is still considered “the greatest threat to the constitutional order and the survival of the state.” Since 2016, more than 25,000 military personnel have been detained in connection with the case.
Ankara blames Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen and his movement, known as “Hizmet,” for orchestrating the coup attempt on July 15, 2016. Gülen had been living in self-imposed exile in the United States since the early 2000s and died in October 2023 at the age of 83.
According to Turkish authorities, the coup was initiated by Gülen supporters within the mid-level ranks of the military. During the attempted overthrow, the military seized fighter jets, helicopters, and tanks in an effort to take control of key state institutions. Around 250 people were killed and hundreds more were injured.
Turkish prosecutors had previously sought over 3,600 life sentences for Gülen. He and his movement have consistently denied any involvement in the coup attempt.
