A Turkish court issued a red notice Monday for three fugitive former prosecutors linked to Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ).
The decision to issue a red notice for Zekeriya Öz, Mehmet Yüzgeç and Celal Kara was made by the 16th penal department of the Supreme Court of Appeals.
The court said it issued the notice since arrest warrants for Öz, Yüzgeç and Kara could not be executed and and ruled for writing a request to Interpol.
Interpol is in charge of issuing arrest warrants in its 190 member countries for suspects wanted by a member country. The Justice Ministry handles red notice requests from courts and a red notice needs to be approved by Interpol before it goes into effect.
The former prosecutors are suspects in an investigation into FETÖ-orchestrated December 2013 police operations. The probes launched by FETÖ-linked prosecutors and police chiefs on Dec. 17 and 25, 2013 with the pretext of corruption were labeled as judicial coup attempts by the Turkish government, on the basis of use of illegal wiretappings and falsified evidence, as well as violating the hierarchy in state institutions.
Öz and Kara, who were also behind several sham trials orchestrated by FETÖ to imprison the terrorist group's critics, are in the German city of Freiburg, according to Turkish media outlets.
The three fugitives are named in the 557-page indictment that charges them with attempt to overthrow the government, running an armed terrorist organization, abuse of duty, forgery in official documents, violation of privacy of communications, illegal wiretapping, defamation, fraud and other charges. Apart from life sentences for attempt to overthrow the government, they will be handed down prison terms of up to 72 years if convicted.
FETÖ, led by U.S.-based Fetullah Gülen, is responsible for orchestrating a foiled coup bid that killed 249 people on July 15, 2016. Through its infiltrators in the army, ranging from low-ranking officers to generals, the terrorist group sought to seize power and kill President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, according to prosecutors.
Strong public resistance against the coup plotters is credited for quelling the putsch attempt.