Turkish court convicts doctor of terrorism propaganda, releases her from jail-rights groups

ISTANBUL (Reuters) – A Turkish court sentenced the head of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) to more than two years in prison for terrorism propaganda on Wednesday but ruled she should be released after being in detention since October, human rights activists said.

Sebnem Korur Fincanci, a prominent rights defender, was arrested on charges of spreading terrorist group propaganda in October after she said in an interview that claims that Turkey’s military used chemical weapons against Kurdish militants in northern Iraq should be investigated.

President Tayyip Erdogan at the time denied the accusations that were made on media close to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group in October, and said legal action would be taken against anyone making such allegations.

Fincanci’s lawyer was not immediately available to comment on her sentence of two years and eight months in jail.

Rights groups have said Fincanci’s detention was political and aimed to silence her. Milena Buyum, Turkey campaigner for Amnesty International, said her being found guilty was “an affront to all who uphold human rights.”

“With our central committee head Dr. Sebnem Korur Fincanci, who is returning among us, we will play our role in the pivotal period before our country and will not allow the TTB or our country to surrender to the darkness,” the TTB said in a tweet.

Turkey is due to hold parliamentary and presidential elections by June, which are expected to see a strong opposition challenge to Erdogan.

International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), which represents doctors and campaigns to prevent armed violence, published a report in October seeking independent investigation of possible violations of the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention by the Turkish military.

The PKK launched an insurgency against the Turkish state in 1984 and more than 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict. Fighting in recent years has increasingly focused on northern Iraq, where the PKK has bases.

It is designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the European Union and United States.

(Reporting by Daren Butler and Ali Kucukgocmen; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)