NEWS CENTER - The Court of Cassation has given a ruling of release for journalist-writer Ahmet Altan, who has been behind bars for 4 years, 7 months and for whom the ECtHR has recently given a ruling of right violation. Altan has been released from Silivri Prison.

 

In the trial of journalist-writer Ahmet Altan and journalist Nazlı Ilıcak for "evoking a coup", the Court of Cassation has reversed the verdict and ruled for the release of Altan, considering the time he spent behind bars.

 

Shortly after this ruling was pronounced, Ahmet Altan was released from Silivri Prison at the outskirts of İstanbul in the evening today (April 14).

 

Speaking to Deutsche Welle Türkçe, Altan's attorney Figen Albuga Çalıkuşu has announced that her client has been released from prison.

 

Artı Gerçek news website has also reported that Altan has been sent to his house by taxi by the Silivri Prison administration due to the pandemic.

 

In a message on her Twitter account, Altan's attorney Figen Albuga Çalıkuşu has shared a picture of herself with Altan, attaching the note, "I have just greeted Ahmet Altan... First step to freedom..."

 

In the "attempted coup" lawsuit filed after the failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016, Ahmet Altan was sentenced to 10 years, 6 months in prison and Nazlı Ilıcak was sentenced to 8 years, 9 months in prison on charge of "willingly and knowingly aiding the terrorist organization."

 

Completing its examination on the appeals against this verdict, the 16th Penal Chamber of the Court of Cassation has reversed the ruling against Altan and Ilıcak on the grounds that the sentence reduction foreseen in the Article 220/7 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) was not implemented. The court has ruled that Ahmet Altan shall be released.

 

ECtHR RULED HIS IMPRISONMENT A VIOLATION OF RIGHTS

 

In a ruling pronounced by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) yesterday, it was concluded that the following rights of Ahmet Altan were violated: The right to liberty and security as per the Articles 5/1 and 5/5 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR); the right to fair and speedy proceedings as per the Article 5/4 of the ECHR; and freedom of expression as per the Article 10 of the ECHR. The court also ruled that Altan should be paid 16,000 Euro in non-pecuniary damages.