The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office on Friday issued detention warrants for 50 people as part of a crackdown on the faith-based Gülen movement, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
According to the statement from the prosecutor’s office, these people were allegedly using ByLock, a smartphone application that is regarded by Turkish authorities as a secret communication tool among the followers of the movement.
Twenty-seven people, including teachers and lawyers, were detained during police operations in eight provinces.
The Turkish government accused the Gülen movement of orchestrating a coup attempt in 2016, although the movement strongly denies it.
Since the abortive putsch, 140,000 public servants have been dismissed by government decrees and more than 600,000 people were investigated on suspicion of membership in a terrorist organization.