Sixty-four suspects, including relatives of key Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) figures, were handed down prison terms between six and 15 years for a mass cheating scandal dating back to 2010. Suspects linked to the terrorist group, which is blamed for July 15, 2016 coup attempt, were accused of stealing questions and answers to the 2010 edition of Public Personnel Selection Exam (KPSS), a key test for hiring new civil servants.

It is believed thousands of people linked to the group were given with questions and answers beforehand. The exam results, however, were later rendered void after the scandal was exposed.

A court in the capital Ankara charged the suspects both for membership of a terrorist group and fraud. Muhammet Sait Gülen, a nephew of FETÖ's fugitive leader Fetullah Gülen and Sahure Öksüz, a relative of Adil Öksüz, the fugitive mastermind of the 2016 coup attempt, were among those sentenced in Thursday's hearing.