A Turkish court handed down a two-year and six-month jail sentence to the chief editor of an opposition TV channel on charges of disseminating terrorist propaganda, as reported by the state-owned Anadolu news agency.
The Istanbul court, however, also issued an order for the release of Merdan Yanardag. Yanardag had previously spent 100 days in pre-trial detention and will now remain free while awaiting an appeal against his sentence, according to Anadolu.
Yanardag’s arrest occurred in June, stemming from allegations of “praising criminals” and “spreading terrorist propaganda” after he voiced criticism regarding the prison isolation of Abdullah Ocalan, the incarcerated leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group during a television program.
During the initial court hearing for his case, Yanardag asserted that his statements on the television program had been taken out of context, and he had not endorsed any terrorist activities. His lawyer, Bilgutay Durna, expressed their dissatisfaction with the ruling, stating, “This verdict is not acceptable for us, even with the court ordering his release. We will appeal this decision.”
The PKK, classified as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union, and the United States, has been engaged in an armed insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984, resulting in the loss of over 30,000 lives. The group recently claimed responsibility for a bomb attack near government buildings in the Turkish capital, Ankara. As a result, law enforcement has apprehended numerous individuals suspected of having links to the PKK.
