Turkey orders detention of 35 people, including journalists, more than one year after failed coup

Turkish authorities has issued detention warrants for 35 people, including nine journalists, on suspicion of links to July 2016 attempted failed coup by a section of the military coup, the state-run Anadolu news agency said on Thursday

According to Anadolu, the suspects, including the editor of the opposition Birgun newspaper Burak Ekici, were accused of “membership of an armed terrorist organisation.” It said police were carrying out raids at the suspects’ addresses.

The suspects were believed to be users of ByLock, an encrypted messaging app the government says was used by the network of US.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen whom Ankara blames for orchestrating the failed coup, a claim he has denied involvement.

Anadolu said the detention warrants were aimed at the media branch of Gulen’s network. 

About 150,000 people have been sacked or suspended from jobs in the civil service and private sector and more than 50,000 have been detained for alleged links to the putsch.

According to Turkish Journalists’ Association, some 150 media outlets have also been shut down and around 160 journalists are in jail reports Reuters.