A delegation from the Justice Ministry, who were on their way to the United States to examine American penal system and visit prisons for examinations, were denied visas late Tuesday.
Turkish officials planned to pay visits to prisons in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Omaha, Nebraska.
The delegation included Aytekin Sakarya, General Director of Penal Affairs, Mehmet Çekmen, Deputy Manager of Directorate General of Laws, Orhan Cuni, Investigation Judge of Directorate of Penal Affairs, Merve Özcan, Investigation Judge and Prof. Dr. Mustafa Serdar Özbek from the Faculty of Law of Başkent University.
U.S. officials stated that the delegation has not been granted visas over the suspension of visa and consular services, which has been in effect for over two weeks.
The U.S. embassy in Ankara said on October 8 that all non-immigrant visa services in its diplomatic facilities in Turkey were suspended after the arrest of one of its employees over the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) ties.
Hours after the U.S. decision, Turkey said it was also halting visa applications from the U.S. The move, announced online by the Turkish embassy in Washington, applies to visas in passports, electronic visas and visas at the borders.
Metin Topuz, the Turkish employee in question, was working in the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul and arrested on charges of espionage and over his links to FETÖ, the group blamed for the July 15, 2016 coup attempt that killed 249 people in Turkey.
Turkish authorities issued an arrest warrant on October 9 for another personnel working for the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul, whose wife and son were then interrogated by the police.
Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office stated that the suspect, identified by his initials N.M.C. and who does not hold diplomatic immunity, was called for testimony.
FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gülen orchestrated the defeated coup attempt of July 15, 2016, which left 250 people killed and nearly 2,200 injured.
FETÖ is also accused of behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.
