Istanbul court sentences ex-CHP lawmaker to four years in jail               

ISTANBUL

A Turkish former lawmaker from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has been sentenced to four years and two months in jail for allegedly aiding a terrorist organization.

The Istanbul 23rd Heavy Penalty Court on March 1 found Eren Erdem guilty of "helping an armed terror organization deliberately and willingly without being a member," state-run Anadolu Agency has reported.

The former MP for Istanbul from the CHP was arrested last June in the capital Ankara over his alleged links to the illegal FETÖ, which is widely believed to have orchestrated the failed coup attempt of July 2016. He has been since held in the Silivri Prison, located in the Silivri district of Istanbul.

Erdem is accused of “publishing illegal wiretapping carried out by FETÖ” when he was the editor-in-chief of now-shuttered Karşı newspaper.

The newspaper's owner, Turan Ababey, was also sentenced to four years and two months in prison on the same charge on March 1, while two other defendants were acquitted.

Erdem denies the accusations and was expected to appeal. Local media quoted Erdem as telling the court in his own defense on March 1 that the only two groups he supported were the CHP and the Turkish soccer club Beşiktas.

Erdem was not nominated again as a deputy candidate by the CHP in the June 24, 2018 elections, which was won by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).