Former columnist of defunct Turkish daily released

By Muhammed Enes Can

ISTANBUL

A court in Istanbul on Friday released a Turkish journalist who had been remanded for his links to a terrorist group.

Sahin Alpay, a former columnist of the now defunct Gulenist Zaman newspaper, is to be freed under judicial control. He had been arrested for his ties to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

Istanbul’s 13th High Criminal Court also imposed an international travel ban on Alpay and placed him under house arrest.

Alpay was arrested after the coup attempt in 2016 on charges of being a member of an armed terrorist group, violating the constitution and attempting to overthrow Turkish Republic and its parliament.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.

By Muhammed Enes Can

ISTANBUL

A court in Istanbul on Friday released a Turkish journalist who had been remanded for his links to a terrorist group.

Sahin Alpay, a former columnist of the now defunct Gulenist Zaman newspaper, is to be freed under judicial control. He had been arrested for his ties to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

Istanbul’s 13th High Criminal Court also imposed an international travel ban on Alpay and placed him under house arrest.

Alpay was arrested after the coup attempt in 2016 on charges of being a member of an armed terrorist group, violating the constitution and attempting to overthrow Turkish Republic and its parliament.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.