No days off: Türkiye’s 8 years of relentless battle against FETO

8 years have passed since the Turkish nation valiantly resisted Gulenist Terror Organization’s (FETO) treacherous coup attempt on July 15. Türkiye remains steadfast in its fight against FETO, ensuring that justice is served and national security is upheld.

The battle against FETO continues with the same rigor and determination. As covert communication systems like ‘ByLock’ are uncovered, numerous hidden FETO members are being apprehended.

Judicial actions

• Legal proceedings: 705,172 individuals have faced judicial action.
• Convictions: 125,456 people convicted.
• Acquittals: 104,448 individuals acquitted.
• Current incarcerations: 13,251 FETO members in prison, including 10,365 convicts.
• Pending investigations and trials: 61,796 under investigation; 23,052 undergoing trial in lower courts.
• Exonerations: 357,205 investigations concluded without charges.

Military and government purge

• Military: 23,859 personnel expelled; 2,292 had ranks revoked; 245 suspended or temporarily dismissed.
• Police: 40,000 officers dismissed.
• Judiciary: 4,006 judges and prosecutors dismissed after investigations.
• Public sector: 125,678 public employees were expelled during the state of emergency.

Coup trials

• 289 coup cases resolved:
  • Sentences: 1,634 received aggravated life sentences; 1,366 received life sentences; 1,891 received fixed-term sentences.
  • Acquittals and other verdicts: 2,870 acquitted; 964 cases dismissed without sentencing.

International efforts and extraditions

• Extradition requests: 7 requests for the FETO leader’s extradition were submitted to the US.
• Global extradition efforts: 1,774 requests were sent to 115 countries for 1,637 individuals; 132 were extradited or deported to Türkiye.

Financial crackdown by the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASLAK)

• Asset freezes and seizures:
  • Domestic assets: 655 individuals’ assets are frozen.
  • International assets: Requests made for freezing assets of 203 individuals abroad.
  • Asset values: ₺3.5 billion, $2.1 million, €263,487, and 106.77 grams of gold frozen.
  • Properties seized: 739 real estate, 66 vehicles, 1 yacht, 125 commercial records.
• Financial Crimes Investigation Board reports: 80,051 analysis files completed, 318,099 individuals and entities reviewed.
• Institutional closures: 35 healthcare institutions, 934 schools, 109 student dormitories, 104 foundations, 1,125 associations, 15 universities, and 19 unions shut down.
• Corporate seizures: 784 companies, worth ₺42.3 billion, transferred to Savings Deposit Insurance Fund of Türkiye (TMSF) management.

What is FETO?

Gulenist Terror Organization (FETO) has clandestinely conducted its activities in Türkiye since the 1960s, culminating in the coup attempt of July 15, 2016 which resulted in the death of 252 people and left 2,735 others injured. The attempt was foiled by a rare instance of public resistance to putschists. Since 2016, FETO has been recognized as a terrorist organization by the likes of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Pakistan. The group’s leader, Fetullah Gulen, resides in the United States with talks of extradition still ongoing.