Turkish court orders release of ex-opposition MP

ISTANBUL

A Turkish court on Thursday ordered release of a former opposition party lawmaker who was arrested on terrorism charges last year.

In its ruling, the Istanbul Court of Justice sentenced Eren Erdem, a former Republican People's Party (CHP) lawmaker, to four years and two months on charges of ''willingly aiding an armed terror group although he is not a member'' but released him ''considering the time he served in prison and his likely appeal process''.

The court also imposed a travel ban on Erdem.

An arrest warrant had been issued against him in June 2018 for being member of an armed terrorist group, and he was arrested at an airport while attempting to leave the country.

Erdem was charged with illegally distributing voice recordings during a coup attempt by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) on Dec. 17-25, 2013.

The year 2013 saw a graft probe and the detention of prominent figures in a FETO plot to overthrow Turkey’s elected government.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 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.

* Writing by Jeyhun Aliyev