Turkey: German sentenced to long-term imprisonment in Turkey

In Turkey, a German citizen has been sentenced for first time since coup attempt 2016 for terrorist accusations. The criminal Court of West Anatolian city of Afyonkarahisar had already imposed a prison sentence against Nejat in July 2017, reported research network of WDR, NDR and Süddeutsche Zeitung, citing verdict. Thus, 55-year-old must spend nine years and nine months in a Turkish prison.

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Nejat U. is accused according to report to have been an active member in an association of entrepreneurs who geographically movement of Turkish preacher Fethullah Gülen. He also had an account with a Gülen-near bank and his children had attended a Gülen school. Turkey sees exiled preacher as initiator of failed coup. The condemned person, however, vehemently rejected accusations.

Nejat owns only German citizenship

It is not clear why case became public until now. The report states that Foreign Office did not want to comment on legality of judgment on demand. The man is supervised by German consulate in Izmir.

According to WDR, NDR and South German newspaper, Nejat U. had come to Germany to study from Turkey and had lived in Aachen for many years. He only had German citizenship. In Turkey, he later founded a company that he led until his arrest in April 2017.

In addition to Nejat, seven or German-known Germans are currently sitting in Turkish detention for political reasons. Yet none of m have been convicted. Three of detainees have exclusively German citizenship.