US consulate employee convicted over terror links released

Metin Topuz, a former employee of the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul, has been released on probation after he served a six-year prison sentence over being a member of the FETÖ terrorist organization.

Topuz, a Turkish translator and fixer for the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) at the U.S. consulate in Istanbul, faces charges of being a FETÖ member and espionage. He was arrested on Oct. 4, 2017.

According to the indictment, Topuz was also accused of having contacts with Zekeriya Öz, a key FETÖ fugitive, as well as former police chiefs and soldiers affiliated with the terrorist group and aiding in their activities.

The trial concluded on June 11, 2020, with the court imposing a sentence of eight years and nine months of imprisonment.

Local media on Nov. 27 reported that Topuz was released on probation earlier this month.

The Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office also confirmed that Topuz was released on parole, taking into account the time he had spent in prison during the trial.

The investigation initiated against Topuz led to tension in Türkiye-U.S. relations, sparking a diplomatic crisis.

The U.S. Embassy in Ankara suspended all non-immigrant visa services at all U.S. diplomatic facilities in Türkiye as a reaction to the detention of U.S. Consulate employee Metin Topuz, and Türkiye's Washington Embassy followed suit in suspending non-immigrant visa services.

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