Six out of eight academics from Karadeniz Technical University (KTÜ) have been arrested by a court on charges of using ByLock, a smart phone application that authorities believe is a communication tool between members of the Gülen movement.
The Trabzon Public Prosecutor’s office had previously launched an investigation into the academics over the use of ByLock. Two academics, both women, were released by the court, while six were jailed.
Tens of thousands of civil servants have either been dismissed or arrested for using the application. Critics say the use of a technological application is not a criminal activity nor is it evidence of membership in a terrorist organization.