Oh No! Court Sentences Six Journalists To Life Imprisonment (Photo)

Posted by Victor on Sat 17th Feb, 2018 - tori.ng

A Turkish court on Friday sentenced six journalists, including two prominent brothers, to life in jail for aiding plotters of a 2016 failed coup, state media said,

Ahmet Altan, left, and his brother Mehmet Altan were among those sentenced

Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency says an Istanbul court has sentenced six Turkish journalists accused of involvement in a 2016 coup attempt to life in prison.

Those sentenced on Friday include Ahmet Altan, the former editor-in-chief of Taraf newspaper, his brother, economics professor and journalist Mehmet Altan, and prominent journalist Nazli Ilicak.

The Altan brothers were charged with giving coded messages in a television talk show a day before the abortive July 15, 2016, military coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkey's highest court had ordered the release of Mehmet Altan in January but a lower court refused.

Three other defendants were also sentenced to life for trying to abolish the constitution and overthrow the government, TRT Haber television reported.

The journalists are also accused of having links to US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey blames for the failed coup. Gulen denies the accusation.

The defendants were charged with attempts to subvert Turkey's constitution and membership in a terror organisation.

Earlier on Friday, a Turkish court accepted an indictment seeking up to 18 years in prison for German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yucel and released him from custody pending trial.