In an explosive case that reflects political turmoil fueled by the country’s religious-secular divide, Turkish prosecutors Monday brought charges against 86 people alleging they tried to overthrow the government.
Istanbul’s chief prosecutor, Aykut Cengiz Engin, said a group that included retired military officials, academics, lawyers and writers stood accused of forming a shadowy ultranationalist network whose aim was to drive the Islamic-rooted ruling party of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan from power.
The indictment and full list of suspects were not immediately released, but the accused, 48 of whom are in custody, face mainly terrorism-related charges.
A court has two weeks to decide whether to try the suspects. Engin told reporters that the indictment would lay out plans for a potentially violent overthrow.
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2,500 pages
The reported length of the indictment brought by Turkish prosecutors against 86 people who they alleged tried to overthrow the government.
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Page compiled from Tribune news services
