Nine FETÖ suspects and the boat captain, who were apprehended off the coast of Datça, were brought before a judge
Nine people and the boat’s captain, who were apprehended on a boat off the coast of Datça, Muğla, while attempting to flee the country, were brought before a court. Among them were fugitives with final prison sentences; 40,000 euros and three counterfeit Belgian IDs were seized on the boat.
This article was translated automatically from Turkish. Türkçe orijinal ›
Off the coast of the Datça district in Muğla, nine people and the boat’s captain—who were apprehended on board while attempting to leave the country illegally—were transferred to the courthouse after undergoing police procedures. It was reported that among those apprehended were fugitives with final prison sentences.
Stopped in an area near international waters
The Muğla Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office had launched an operation targeting attempts by individuals—against whom proceedings were underway for membership in the FETÖ/PDY armed terrorist organization and whose cases were pending before the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court—to flee the country.
In a joint operation conducted by teams from the Provincial Police Department and the Coast Guard Command, it was determined that the wanted individuals were aboard a vessel named “PETER PAN 1” in an area off the coast of Datça, near international waters. During the operation, the vessel was intercepted, and 1 captain, 9 suspects, and 2 children were apprehended.
40,000 euros and fake IDs were found on the boat
The following items were seized during a search of the vessel:
- 40,080 euros
- 200 U.S. dollars
- 4,752 Turkish lira
- 3 fake Belgian IDs
The boat named “PETER PAN 1,” which was used in the escape, was seized in accordance with the court order. The two children on board were handed over to their relatives after the necessary procedures were completed.
Three were wanted for finalized prison sentences
An investigation into those taken into custody revealed that three individuals were wanted for finalized prison sentences:
- M.S. — 6 years, 10 months, and 15 days for membership in an armed terrorist organization
- S.B. — 6 years and 3 months
- Y.G. — 8 years and 8 months
It was determined that the cases of suspects H.A., M.D., and N.K. are in the appellate phase, while the cases of M.K. and D.G. are under review by the Court of Appeals.
It was reported that the suspects included a private school teacher, the director of an affiliated dormitory, a former teacher at an affiliated school, a worker, a technician, a former principal of an affiliated school, a former Turkish language teacher at an affiliated school, a former teacher at an affiliated institution, and a dismissed court clerk. It was learned that the boat captain is H.Y., who is registered as a resident of Isparta.
The nine suspects, who underwent medical examinations, and the boat captain were transferred to the courthouse under tight security measures.
What do the appellate and Supreme Court stages mean?
After a criminal case is decided in the court of first instance, it first goes to the regional court of appeals (istinaf) and, if necessary, then to the Supreme Court (Yargıtay). The sentence is not considered final until these stages are completed; sentences that are not final are not enforced. The sentences of three of the individuals named in the news report have become final, while the cases of five others are still pending in one of these two stages.
The Muğla coastline is one of the regions where illegal crossing attempts are frequently observed due to its proximity to Greek islands. Coast Guard and police teams are conducting joint patrols and surveillance operations in the region to combat irregular migration and escape attempts.
Legal proceedings against the suspects are ongoing; in accordance with the presumption of innocence, their names are listed by initials. The image used in the report is for illustrative purposes only.
