Second wave launched against police officers in wiretapping probe
A second operation was launched early Aug. 5 against police as part of the âillegal wiretappingâ probe in 14 provinces across Turkey.
Police raided colleaguesâ residences at a number addresses around Istanbul, daily Hürriyet has learned. The list of detentions include 33 police officers according to initial information.
In the first wave of the operation last week, a total of 31 police officers were arrested after 115 police officers were detained in overnight raids July 22.
According to Hürriyet, most of the detained are low-ranking officers, in contrast to last weekâs arrests, which targeted police chiefs and senior officers.
Meanwhile, Justice Minister Bekir BozdaÄ brushed aside claims that the operation could be extended to prosecutors and judges. âThe procedures that prosecute judges and prosecutors are different. We donât have anything planned. This has nothing to do with [the government]. If there is an investigation, those who are tasked will perform their duties,â he said in his first comments after the second wave of the operation.
The investigation came after two corruption probes into high-profile figures from political and business circles was interpreted by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) as an operation aimed at toppling the government.
Many of the officers detained last week were involved in those corruption probes and have interpreted the current case as politically motivated.
The operation was announced on Aug. 4 on Twitter on the account of an unidentified whistleblower who goes by the nickname of Fuat Avni. His account was blocked Aug. 5.
- Log in to post comments