World Bulletin/News Desk

Charges of "political spying" have been brought against 13 suspects as part of an investigation into the alleged wiretapping of Recep Tayyip Erdogan's office when he was Turkey's prime minister, said an Ankara public prosecutor.

Erdogan divulged in late 2012 that a "bug" had been found in his office. 

Among those charged is the former vice president of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey or TUBITAK, Hasan Palaz. 

Also charged are police officers Ali Ozdogan, Serhat Demir, Sedat Zavar, Ahmet Turer, Enes Cigci, Ilker Usta, Hursit Golbasi, Seyit Saydam, Ibrahim Sari, Mehmet Yuksel, Zeki Bulut and Harun Yavuz.

The criminal charge sheet cites the now-president Erdogan as the plaintiff.

Public Prosecutor Durak Cetin from the Bureau of Investigation into Crimes against Constitutional Order completed the bill of indictment and sent it to Ankara High Criminal Court no:11 on Tuesday.

In his indictment, the prosecutor has sought prison terms from 15 years up to 20 years.

The court will decide within a period of 15 days whether to dismiss or accept the indictment and start hearing the case.

In late February, a Turkish daily – Yeni Safak – published a list of 7,000 people, including then Prime Minister Erdogan, whose phones had been allegedly bugged, for three years.

Those responsible for the wiretapping have been allegedly linked to a "parallel structure" nestled within state institutions.

This parallel state, according to the government, refers to an alleged group of Turkish bureaucrats and senior officials embedded in the country's institutions - including the judiciary and the police - who are working to undermine the current Turkish government.