Turkey court orders release of jailed journalist

ISTANBUL: A Turkish court on Wednesday ordered the conditional release of a prominent journalist jailed for life in February on charges of ties to the group blamed for the 2016 failed coup, state media reported.
Mehmet Altan, an economics professor and journalist who has been detained since 2016, was sentenced to life in prison in defiance of an order by Turkey's highest court to release him.
He was convicted alongside other prominent suspects including his brother Ahmet, a writer and novelist, and veteran journalist Nazli Ilicak.
The constitutional court in January had ruled that Mehmet Altan should be released on the grounds his rights had been violated but the lower criminal court ignored this.
Hearing his appeal, an Istanbul regional court ordered Mehmet Altan's release, the Anadolu news agency reported, referring to the previous "binding" ruling of the constitutional court.
Altan was due to be freed later in the day, although his conviction remains in place.
The court also placed an overseas travel ban on the journalist who will be required to report to authorities once a week, Anadolu said.
However, the Istanbul court ruled to keep Ahmet and fellow journalist Ilicak in jail and adjourned the next session in the appeal hearing for September 21.
The journalists' convictions were based on a TV appearance on the eve of the failed coup where they allegedly sent "subliminal messages" calling for the overthrow of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government.
The cases set off alarm bells over the freedom of press in Turkey under the state of emergency imposed after the failed coup that has seen dozens of journalists arrested.
Turkey says the crackdown is needed to eradicate the influence of US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen blamed for the failed coup but critics say the arrests have turned into a "witch-hunt" to stifle any dissent.
The latest court ruling comes three days after Erdogan won presidential and parliamentary elections with new enhanced powers as head of state.
Ahead of the elections, Erdogan had vowed to lift the state of emergency after his inauguration but activists say they are awaiting action rather than words. — AFP