ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – A Turkish court convicted a local employee of the US consulate in Adana on terror charges on Wednesday, but opted to free him on time served. Hamza Ulucay was convicted of “knowingly and willingly aiding an armed terror organization,” state-run Anadolu Agency reported. He was sentenced to four and a half years in jail, but will be released after serving nearly two years. He will be under a travel ban when released. Ulucay was detained in February 2017 on charges of ties with the PKK and the Gulen Movement (FETO), which Ankara blames for orchestrating the failed July 2016 coup. He has maintained his innocence and accused prosecutors of fabricating evidence. Prosecutors had demanded 15 years in jail. Ulucay worked as a translator for the US consulate in Adana. The US and Turkey suspended non-immigrant visa services for each other’s nationals for nearly three months in late 2017 as Washington objected to several arrests of Turkish staff at American diplomatic missions. Two other local employees of US consulates are under investigation. US-Turkey relations also soured over the case of American pastor Andrew Brunson, convicted on providing assistance to terror groups, but allowed to walk free and return to the US in October. US Chargé d’Affaires Jeffrey M. Hovenier and other American diplomats attended the hearing on Wednesday.
