Following the decision of the Istanbul 26th High Criminal Court, two veteran names of journalism Ahmet Altan and Nazlı Ilıcak were released.
At the exit of Silivri Prison Campus Ahmet Altan was welcomed by his brother Mehmet Altan and journalist colleagues and followers.
After 1138 days of detention, Ahmet Altan was sentenced to 10 years and 6 months imprisonment on the charge of “helping the terrorist organization without being a member” and was released with the decision of evacuation considering the “nature of the offense and the time he spent in detention.”.
Nazlı Ilıcak was sentenced to 8 years and 9 months imprisonment for ’helping the terrorist organization’ and released by judicial control. Ilıcak was released from Bakırköy Women’s Closed Prison after 1197 days of imprisonment. Nazlı Ilıcak was welcomed by her son Mehmet Ali Ilıcak, her brother Ömer Çavuşoğlu and her close relatives.
“Don’t forget those who left behind..”
Both names gave the same message after meeting with their loved ones.. “Don’t forget those who left behind..”
Ahmet Altan for his first statements: I felt a little sad when I heard your release. Because the other mates didn’t released and I felt sorry for them. There are thousands of innocent men inside. And that’s a bit sad, of course.
“I didn’t let my years to waste, I wrote books.”
I, to be honest, missed looking through the sky. My years weren’t lost, I didn’t let them. I worked hard in prison. I wrote books. I don’t lose my years so easily.
Nazlı Ilıcak’s first expressions were “I say to those who remain in prison ‘May Allah save you’. Please don’t forget them, okay? Let the law of execution go as soon as possible.
Fevzi Yazıcı and Yakup Şimşek who stood trial in the same case were sentenced to 11 years and 3 months imprisonment on the grounds that they committed the crime of having a membership of an armed terrorist organization, and Şükrü Tuğrul Özşengül was sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment for “membership of an armed terrorist organization”.
Source: T24, DHA
