Turkish court frees U.S. consulate employee: Anadolu

Source: Reutesrs

ANKARA (Reuters) - A Turkish court ruled on Wednesday that a U.S. consulate employee in the southern city of Adana be released after it convicted him of membership and support for an armed terrorist organisation, state media said.

Hamza Ulucay, a translator at the U.S. consulate in Adana, was sentenced to four and a half years in jail but released by the court due to time served, the state-owned Anadolu news agency said.

Ulucay was detained along with two other local U.S. consulate employees and a former Turkish-American NASA scientist in 2017 over terrorism charges. Washington wants all of them released.

During his trial on Wednesday Ulucay sought acquittal, but his request was denied and he was released with a travel ban after being sentenced, Anadolu said.

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WORLD NEWS JANUARY 30, 2019 / 9:35 AM / UPDATED 40 MINUTES AGO


Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-security-usa/turkish-court-frees-u-s-consulate-employee-anadolu-idUSKCN1PO1XB