Turkish prosecutors have issued detention warrants for 25 people, 22 of whom are lawyers and three of whom are staff at the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, over their use of a smart phone application known as ByLock.
The detention warrants were issued by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, and 13 of the individuals were detained as of Thursday noon.
Turkish authorities believe ByLock is the top communication tool among the followers of the Gülen movement, which is accused by the Turkish government of masterminding a failed coup attempt on July 15.
Tens of thousands of civil servants, police officers and businessmen have either been dismissed or arrested for using ByLock since the failed coup attempt.