Turkish prosecutors have demanded a life sentence for a Turkish employee at the US consulate in Istanbul, accusing him of spying, the Turkish press reported on Sunday, adding that his arrest had strained relations between Ankara and Washington.
The prosecutor accused the consular officer Matin Topuz of collecting information "for political or military espionage purposes" and that he "tried to overthrow the republic," the pro-government daily TRT reported.
In the indictment, which was prepared and will be sent to a court in the coming days, the prosecutor of Istanbul is demanding the sentence of Matin Topuz to life imprisonment, according to Turkish media.
Tubuz was arrested and imprisoned in October 2017 and Turkish authorities suspect he is linked to Fathullah Gulen, Turkey´s arch-foe, whom Turkey accuses of plotting a coup attempt in 2016.
Topuz´s detention caused a diplomatic crisis between Turkey and the United States, which for several months suspended intermittently for most visa services.
This has contributed to increasing tension in relations between the two countries and already aggravated by disagreements over the Syrian file and Turkey´s still fruitless request to hand over Gulen.
Gulen, who has lived for nearly 20 years in the United States, categorically denies any connection to the failed coup in 2016.
According to the newspaper "Hurriyet" and the channel "TRT", the prosecutor accused Tobuz that he had frequent contact with suspected members of the movement of the preacher Gulen.
Tobuz is also accused of having met repeatedly with investigators behind a corruption scandal that rocked the Turkish government in 2013 before Ankara set it up as part of a plot by Gulen.
Relations between Ankara and Washington have improved in recent months after the release in October of a US priest held in Turkey for two years.
