Journalist Şahin Alpay was released on 17 March 2018 after 20 months in Silivri Prison a few hours after the Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court removed his arrest warrant, but put in place a judicial control measure to keep him under house arrest.
Alpay, who used to be a columnist with the shuttered Zaman newspaper, stands accused of "attempting to overthrow the constitution" and faces life along with 31 other journalists, 18 of whom are under arrest. Earlier on 11 January, the Turkish Constitutional Court issued a ruling on his case, filed by lawyer Veysel Ok, saying that his detention had been unlawful and that Alpay should be released. However, lower courts refused to obey the order. Aynur Tuncel Yazgan, who represents Şahin Alpay, filed a second application with the Constitutional Court. The court discussed Alpay's case a second time on 16 March and again ordered his release.
Alpay, who used to be a columnist with the shuttered Zaman newspaper, stands accused of "attempting to overthrow the constitution" and faces life along with 31 other journalists, 18 of whom are under arrest. Earlier on 11 January, the Turkish Constitutional Court issued a ruling on his case, filed by lawyer Veysel Ok, saying that his detention had been unlawful and that Alpay should be released. However, lower courts refused to obey the order. Aynur Tuncel Yazgan, who represents Şahin Alpay, filed a second application with the Constitutional Court. The court discussed Alpay's case a second time on 16 March and again ordered his release.
Veysel Ok (R), the lawyer who filed the first Constitutional Court application and Aynur Tuncel Yazgan, who filed the second, waited in front of the Istanbul 13th Hİgh Criminal Court on 16 March to get the release ruling for Alpay.
Alpay left Silivri Prison after midnight on 17 March and was finally able to embrace the members of his family waiting outside.
He told the members of the press waiting outside prison: "I am extremely happy to have reunited with my family but I cannot say I have gained my freedom back. I am leaving but many people who have nothing to do with terrorism or the coup remain [in prison]. I don't think Turkey can be free before they are free."
