Turkish police officer convicted in refugee death

ANKARA - The Associated Press

Protesters carry a banner reading “The police who shot Festus should be brought to justice” while a spokesman makes a statement in this file photo from Feb. 9, 2011

A Turkish court has convicted a police officer of "involuntary manslaughter" in the fatal shooting of a Nigerian refugee.

The court sentenced Cengiz Yildiz to four years and two months in prison. The Nigerian, Festus Okey, was in custody at an Istanbul police station when the incident occurred Aug. 20, 2007.

Authorities said Okey, who was detained for not carrying identification, had tried to grab the officer's gun, and that the weapon was fired during the scuffle.

Tuesday's court decision comes days after authorities sacked two police officers for beating a woman at a police station in the Aegean city of Izmir.

Allegations of torture by security forces have long stained Turkey's human rights record, and the government is trying to eradicate such practices.