29th Criminal Court

Turkey's top judicial body has dismissed two judges who were arrested for ordering the release of 76 suspects thought to have links to the "Fetullahist Terrorist Organization" (FETÖ), as well as two other judges who released three police officers that were detained on charges of illegal wiretapping.

An advisory body of the Council of Europe (CoE) has expressed grave concerns about the suspension and arrest of two Turkish judges allegedly linked to the Gülen movement, in a statement issued after letters were sent to it by the two judges and complaints were sent by others. 

An Istanbul court on April 30 arrested two judges who ordered the release of 76 suspects charged with alleged links to the ?parallel state? of U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen.

The 29th Criminal Court of First Instance judge, Metin Özçelik, and the 32nd Criminal Court of First Instance judge, Mustafa Ba?er, were accused of being a member of a terrorist organization.

Deputy Prime Minister Yalç?n Akdo?an slammed the main opposition parties on April 28 over their ?lack of support for the government in the struggle against the parallel state,? the same day as Turkey?s high judiciary board allowed the prosecution against two judges who demanded the release of 76 suspects allegedly working for U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen.

Three judges who ordered the release of 79 suspects charged with alleged links to the "parallel state" of Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen were suspended from duty on April 27 for "causing chaos within the judiciary."

A Turkish court has ordered the release of 75 policemen and a media manager who were accused of belonging to ?the parallel state? of the government?s ally-turned-foe Fethullah Gülen, a U.S. based cleric, but a judge reversed the decision late April 25 as a chief prosecutor also intervened.

A Turkish court has ordered the release of 75 policemen and a media manager who were accused of belonging to ?the parallel state? of the government?s ally-turned-foe Fethullah Gülen, a U.S. based cleric, but a judge reversed the decision late April 25 as a chief prosecutor also intervened.