Prosecutors seek life sentence for defendants in Russian ambassador's killing

The Ankara prosecutor's office on March 5 sought life imprisonment for defendants accused of taking part in the assassination of a former Russian ambassador to Turkey in 2016, state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Ambassador Andrey Karlov was assassinated at an art gallery in the Turkish capital on Dec. 19, 2016, by Mevlüt Mert Altıntaş, an off-duty police officer linked to FETÖ who was shot dead by police during a standoff.

Prosecutors demand multiple aggravated life sentences in prison for a total of eight defendants.

The indictment also pointed out that the killing of Karlov was "a provocative action against Turkish-Russian ties."

FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gülen orchestrated the defeated coup attempt of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people killed and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

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