Over 20 Turkish Journalists From Gulen-Linked Media Outlets Sentenced to Prison

03:06 GMT, 9 March 2018

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ANKARA (Sputnik) - A total of 21 Turkish journalists were sentenced on Thursday to prison for 2-7.5 years for involvement in propaganda of Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen's movement, referred to as the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) by Ankara and accused of being behind the 2016 coup attempt in the country, media reported.

Sputnik

According to Daily Sabah newspaper, Atilla Tas, a former pop singer and columnist, was sentenced to three years and one month in prison on charges of willfully assisting FETO.

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Murat Askoy, a former journalist who worked for FETO-linked media outlets, was sentenced to two years and one month in prison, while Cuma Ulus received a 7.5-year prison sentence. Other 18 media employees were given similar sentences for propaganda of the Gulen movement, the publication said.

A failed military coup attempt took place in Turkey in July 2016. Over 240 people were killed, while nearly 2,200 people were wounded. The Turkish authorities introduced a national state of emergency following the coup attempt.

Ankara accuses the Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen movement of masterminding the failed coup attempt and has arrested thousands of military personnel, activists, officials, journalists, legal and educational workers over suspected links to the group. Gulen himself, who has been residing in the United states since 1999, has refuted all the allegations on numerous occasions.