Turkey seeks up to 15 years in jail for licence holder of coup-related app ByLock

Turkish prosecutors are seeking up to 15 years in jail for the license holder of ByLock, an encrypted messaging application that is said to have been used by Gülenists. Alpaslan Demir, a U.S. citizen of Turkish origin who is currently known as David Keynes, came to Turkey last month to surrender himself to Turkish authorities, state-run Anadolu Agency said on July 28.

Wednesday July 28 2021 04:33 pm

Duvar English - Reuters

Turkish authorities are seeking up to 15 years in prison for the licence holder of ByLock, an encrypted messaging app Ankara says was used by the Gülen network, state-run Anadolu news agency said on July 28.

The Gülen network, referred to as the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) by Ankara, is widely believed to have undertaken the failed coup attempt of July 2016.

Ankara outlawed Bylock in the aftermath of the coup, saying Gülen's followers had used it to communicate on the night of the putsch when a group of Gülen-linked soldiers attempted to overthrow the government.

Anadolu said on July 28 that Bylock's licence-holder David Keynes, a Turkish national previously known as Alpaslan Demir who took U.S. citizenship, turned himself in on June 9.

Prosecutors are seeking up to 15 years in jail for "membership of the FETÖ armed terrorist organization," it said.

Turkish authorities had issued an arrest warrant for Keynes in December 2020, Anadolu said, adding that Keynes had asked to take advantage of "remorse laws" under which suspects who cooperate can receive lighter sentences.

Citing an indictment, Anadolu said Keynes had provided names of individuals, as well as details about Bylock.