Former Rector of Gazi University Sentenced to Prison for FETÖ Case
Former Rector of Gazi University, Prof. Dr. Süleyman Büyükberber, has been sentenced to 3 years and 9 months in prison for “aiding an armed terrorist organization”. Büyükberber was arrested on July 20, 2016, after being charged by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office with “being the leader of an armed terrorist organization”. The indictment stated that 190 people recruited by Büyükberber were dismissed with a Statutory Decree (KHK) for being related to FETÖ. Büyükberber was released pending trial after making his defense in the case before the Ankara 28th High Criminal Court.
At the recent hearing, Büyükberber and his lawyers were present, and he denied all allegations against him. Büyükberber argued that all appointments were up to the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) and complied with the law. He demanded his acquittal, insisting that the allegations were baseless and that there was no concrete evidence.
Nonetheless, the court sentenced Büyükberber to prison for aiding an armed terrorist organization. The former rector of Gazi University must now serve his sentence.
