Turkey seeks arrest of teachers using ’Gulen app’

Istanbul / AFP

Turkish prosecutors on Tuesday issued arrest warrants for almost 150 teachers who allegedly used an encrypted messaging app employed by followers of the US-based Muslim preacher authorities blame for the botched coup bid, state media said. Police in the central Anatolian city of
Kayseri launched an operation with 400 officers in a bid to detain 147 teachers accused of using the app ByLock, the Anadolu news agency said. The teachers, who had already been suspended in the wake of the July 15 coup attempt, are accused of “breaching the constitution”, “attempting to bring down the Turkish government”, and “membership of an armed terrorist organisation,” according to the report. Some of the suspects were detained, it said, without providing any exact number.