Two suspects released in OdaTV case

ISTANBUL

Hanefi Avcı and Yalçın Küçük were released by the 16th Istanbul High Criminal Court in the case regarding OdaTV. DHA photo

Former Eskişehir Chief of Police Hanefi Avcı and Professor Yalçın Küçük were officially released by an Istanbul court today in the OdaTV case, but the pair will remain in jail on other charges.

Avcı and Küçük were among 11 other suspects being tried by the 16th Istanbul High Criminal Court in the case regarding OdaTV, an online news portal known for its fierce criticism of government policies.

However, as the two have been serving their sentences related to other cases, they will not be freed from prison. Avcı was earlier sentenced to prison for 15 years in the Revolutionary Headquarters case while Küçük is serving 22 years and six months in prison on the Ergenekon coup-plot case.

Avcı has said he is being prosecuted simply because of a controversial book he wrote.

The police searched the website’s offices in February 2011 as part of the ongoing Ergenekon investigation.