17 May 2017•Update: 17 May 2017
ISTANBUL
A criminal high court in Istanbul acquitted former police chief Hanefi Avci on Wednesday of charges of supporting a terror organization.
In 2013 Avci had been sentenced to 15 years in jail for helping the Revolutionary Headquarters armed terrorist group, attempting to influence the judiciary, and violating confidentiality.
In 2014, Ankara’s Court of Cassation reversed his conviction on charges such as aiding a terrorist group, and he was released pending a further trial.
An Istanbul court also acquitted Avci last week over alleged involvement in a plot to topple the government through the news website odatv.com.
The Oda TV case was initiated in 2011 as part of the Ergenekon probe, when police searched the website’s offices.
Digital documents seized in the raids, which were allegedly linked to the Ergenekon plot -- a supposed conspiracy to overthrow the Turkish government -- formed the basis of the case.
Avci had faced charges of being either a founder, member, or supporter of the "armed terrorist organization Ergenekon”.
Reporting by Murat Kaya, Hanife Sevinc and Muhammed Enes Can; Writing by İlker Girit
