Gülenist suspects to wear 'single-type' brown uniforms in Turkish courts

All suspected members of the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) under arrest will have to wear "single-type" brown uniforms during court appearances, according to a change planned by the Justice Ministry, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Aug. 4.

The move to make all FETÖ suspects wear the same clothes in court came after a suspect stirred debate by appearing before a judge last month wearing a t-shirt that read "hero." A number of other people were then detained by police across Turkey for wearing t-shirts with the "hero" design.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan subsequently blasted the suspect and suggested "uniform attire" for all FETÖ suspects.

Anadolu Agency reported that the Justice Ministry has launched efforts to prevent any similar "hero" incidents taking place, prompting textile engineers and prison textile workshop heads to be invited for meetings at the ministry. 

Several suggestions were made in the meetings, including making suspects wear jumpsuits with zippers on the front. The authorities ultimately agreed on shirts and trousers with "dried almond color," using alpaca fabric in order for the uniforms to suit Turkey's climatic conditions. 

The uniforms will reportedly be sewn in prison workshops determined by the authorities. The sewing process has already started in two prisons in the northwestern provinces of Bursa and Balıkesir as part of the testing period. 

Justice Minister Abdülhamit Gül said on Aug. 4 that efforts were ongoing. If the regulations are adopted, nearly 50,000 clothes will be sewn by inmates and then sent to prisons holding the suspects of cases into followers of the U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen. 

Meanwhile, the Board of Judges and Prosecutors ...