Gülen, former prosecutor suspects in new Dink murder indictment

U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen and former prosecutor Zekeriya Öz have been named among the suspects in a third indictment prepared by an Istanbul prosecutor into the murder of Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink, state-run Anadolu Agency has reported.

The 122-page indictment against a total of 51 suspects, which accuses the Gülen Movement of involvement in the journalist's murder a decade ago, was completed on April 24 separately from the case into the murder.

The suspects, 28 of whom are arrested, included Gülen, who is also accused of masterminding the July 2016 failed coup attempt; Öz; the former editor-in-chief of the closed daily Zaman, Ekrem Dumanlı; journalists Adem Yavuz Arslan, Ercan Gün and Faruk Mercan, dismissed Brig. Hamza Celepoğlu, Trabzon gendarmerie province Cmdr. Ali Öz, Trabzon gendarmerie intelligence head Metin Yıldız and Istanbul gendarmerie intelligence personnel Cpt. Muharrem Demirkale.

The indictment seeks an aggravated life term for Gülen on charges of "attempting to overthrow the order envisaged by the constitution of the Republic of Turkey by force."

Gülen also faces another life term for "participating in premeditated murder" and jail terms of between 15 and 22.5 years for "forming and managing an armed terror organization."

The prosecutor also demanded an aggravated life term and another life term for other 40 suspects including prosecutor Öz, Arslan, Mercan, Dumanlı and commander Öz on the same charges as Gülen but demanded jail terms between 7.5 and 15 years on charges of "being a member of armed terror organization."

The indictment was sent to the Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court along with a demand to merge it with the main case into the murder. The court board is...