12 out of 35 Islamic State suspects released by a Turkish court on Wednesday. On the other hand, Turkish authorities arrested a lawmaker from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) after a court handed him a 25-year jail sentence for giving material about the government's illegal weapon shipment to jihadist in Syria.
31 of the 35 suspects, 17 of whom were jailed pending trial, were before the judge in person for the charges of "attempting to abolish the constitutional order" and "being members of an armed terrorist organisation".
After the documents were read, the defence attorneys requested release, which was followed by the Prosecutor requesting the continuation of detention due to "the qualities and nature of the alleged crimes, the current situation of the available evidence, and that the alleged crimes were among the catalogued crimes". The suspects, then, took the floor, and pleaded not guilty, requesting release.
5 of the suspects, Ali Karataş, Orhan Küçük, Selim Sürmeli, Emin Güneş, and Serdar Kerim, were decided to remain in prison due to the "current situation of the available evidence, digital recordings, the sound evidence indicating strong criminal suspicion, and the inadequacy of precaution of judicial control". On the other hand, regarding their period of detention, 12 suspects were released with judicial control.
The bill of indictment includes information as to the activities of the suspects. It is stated in the bill that the suspects provided private lessons in the Sultanbeyli district of the city of İstanbul for the children of the IS members who had died in the engagement areas. It is highlighted that the suspects primarily educate and train the children so as to reject the Republic of Turkey, its judicial system, military service, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s [founder of modern Turkey] principles and revolutions. The file also involves the photographs of the so-called "infants' schools" and the children.
Another piece of information in the bill involves the suspect named Selim Sürmeli. He is alleged to have walked around the buildings of the Turkish Grand National Assembly.
13 suspects had also been released in the same case on April 20, 2017.
