Turkish court slaps 65 ex-soldiers with life sentences

By Serdar Acil and Ertugrul Subasi

ANKARA

A Turkish court on Tuesday ruled life imprisonment sentences for 65 former soldiers for their actions at Turkish Naval Forces Command during July 2016 defeated coup attempt.

Two rear admirals are also among the former servicemen, who were convicted of "violating constitutional order" by Ankara 13th Heavy Penal Court, said the source.

47 of them received aggravated life sentences.

The Fetullah Terrorist Organization and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

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