Turkey frees jailed ex-army chief
- 10 years ago
Turkey's former army chief Ilker Basbug left jail in Istanbul a free man on Friday night.
He'd served 26 months of a life sentence before a constitutional court ruled his rights had been violated during his trial over alleged involvement in a coup plot.
(SOUNDBITE)(Turkish) ILKER BASBUG, FORMER ARMY CHIEF, SAYING:
"The grounds for my release are valid, also for all of the others who are still imprisoned. Therefore those who are still imprisoned here will be set free, evidently. We're sure of that."
Basbug's been released after a ruling that the court trying him had failed to produce a detailed verdict.
The ruling could set a precedent for more than 200 others jailed over what's become known as the Ergenokon conspiracy
He'd served 26 months of a life sentence before a constitutional court ruled his rights had been violated during his trial over alleged involvement in a coup plot.
(SOUNDBITE)(Turkish) ILKER BASBUG, FORMER ARMY CHIEF, SAYING:
"The grounds for my release are valid, also for all of the others who are still imprisoned. Therefore those who are still imprisoned here will be set free, evidently. We're sure of that."
Basbug's been released after a ruling that the court trying him had failed to produce a detailed verdict.
The ruling could set a precedent for more than 200 others jailed over what's become known as the Ergenokon conspiracy