An Istanbul court has sentenced online chief of government-critical newspaper Cumhuriyet to three years and a month in prison for "terrorist propaganda". As newspaper reports, Oğuz Güven was found guilty of having operated "terror propaganda" for forbidden movement of Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen. He is also said to have "legitimized" methods of banned Labour Party of Kurdistan (PKK).

The Gülen movement is being held responsible in Turkey for failed military coup of July 2016. Just like PKK, it is listed as a terrorist organization. Güven was arrested in April for a report to death of a prosecutor who had led action against suspected Gülen members after coup attempt.

In Istanbul, several employees of Cumhuriyet are currently responsible for accusations of "propaganda" and "support for terrorist organisations". Among m are editor, editor-in-chief, a undercover and several columnists of newspaper.

The traditional Cumhuriyet, one of greatest critics of government of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, rejects accusations as absurd and accuses judiciary of wanting to silence one of country's last independent voices. In Turkey, according to Platform for freedom of press, P24 a total of 155 journalists are in prison.

Date Of Update: 22 November 2017, 12:02