Turkey court hands prison sentences to Cumhuriyet journalists

Silivri (Turkey) (AFP) – A Turkish court on Wednesday convicted journalists from the opposition Cumhuriyet daily for helping outlawed “terrorist” organisations, an AFP correspondent said, in a trial seen as a test case for press freedom.

The court in Silivri, outside Istanbul, handed out multiple sentences to 13 journalists and executives but they remain free pending appeal. Three others were acquitted.

The judge ordered the release of Cumhuriyet chairman Akin Atalay who had been in jail for over 500 days despite his conviction, the correspondent said.