Alparslan Altan, former deputy chief judge of the Constitutional Court, was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison yesterday for membership in the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ). FETÖ is blamed for the July 15, 2016 coup attempt and Altan was among a large number of judiciary members dismissed from their jobs and subsequently arrested in the aftermath of the putsch bid.

Tried by a chamber of the Supreme Court in the capital Ankara, Altan denied to links to the terrorist group, which is known for its widespread infiltration into law enforcement, the judiciary, military and bureaucracy.

The court said he was sentenced to 13 years in prison but the sentence was reduced due to his "good conduct" during the hearings.

Altan, who was known for his opposition to sentencing of a top FETÖ figure in a trial long before the putsch attempt, was found to have links with terrorist group's "imams," point men of group leader Fetullah Gülen who control infiltrators in the judiciary.