Turkish court orders release of two journalists in Gulen case due to time served

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A Turkish court, in a re-trial, ordered the release of journalists Ahmet Altan and Nazli Ilicak due to their time already served in jail, the Anadolu news agency reported on Monday.

The two men had been convicted of aiding the network of U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused by Ankara of orchestrating a coup attempt in 2016. They had denied the charges against them.

The court also acquitted journalist Mehmet Altan, a defendant in the same case, of alleged links to the Gulen network, Anadolu said. Altan had already been released.

(Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen; Writing by Ezgi Erkoyun; Editing by Gareth Jones)