Two former police officers sentenced to seven years for 'bugging Erdo?an'

Two former police officers are each sentenced to seven years and six months in prison in case opened after bugs were found in the office and residence of then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdo?an in 2011.

Former police officers Sedat Zavar and ?lker Usta were sentenced to seven years and six months in prison in the case filed against a total of 13 people. Eight suspects are acquitted of all charges while the case on three other suspects was put aside.

Hasan Palaz, the former vice president of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜB?TAK), was among the eight suspects who were acquitted by the court.

The ruling was issued in the eight court hearing of the case headed by the Ankara 7th Court for Serious Crimes, in which Zavar and Usta appeared as defendants under arrest while TÜB?TAK?s former top executive Palaz appeared for another charge other than eavesdropping.

Erdo?an?s attorneys Muammer Cemalo?lu and Burhanettin Sevencan along with Sami Arslan A?k?n, an attorney from the Prime Ministry, were present in court.

The indictment against the defendants said the Erdo?an?s official residence during his time as prime minister was recorded between Nov. 24 and Dec. 29, 2011, and that his bureau in Ankara?s Keçiören district was recorded between Nov. 25 and Dec. 29 the same year.

In 2011, secret voice recorders were found in multiple power units in a number of searches of Erdo?an?s office in Keçiören, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) headquarters, the Prime Ministry?s Office and its official residence, the indictment said. The searches for the bugs were held by the National Intelligence Organization (M?T) upon the approval of the Prime Ministry, it added.

The defendants Ali Özdo?an,...