Turkish court sentences 498 people on terror-related charges

ANKARA, March 29 (KUNA) -- Turkey's Ministry of Justice Wednesday announced that 498 people have been sentenced on charges of belonging to the so-called Islamic State (IS).
At least 15 foreign children, aged 12 - 17, were detained for the same charges, the ministry said in a statement in reply to an opposition MP.
Some 70 people aged 18-21 years and 413 others aged 21 or over were detained, it noted.
The number of foreigners in Turkish prisons reached 4704, making up two percent of the total prisoners in the country.
The total prisoners in Turkey are 197297, according to data issued in November 2016, it said.
At least 40 people were sentenced on terrorism-related charges in 2009, while this year witnessed the sentence of jailing 775 people, including 16 percent of foreign countries' citizens, the statement concluded. (end) rs.hm