Turkey Slams US Sentencing of Turkish Banker in Iran Case

Turkey has slammed the sentencing of a Turkish banker in the United States over his role in helping Iran evade US economic sanctions. In a statement late Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry called the trial against Turkish state-run Halkbank employee Mehmet Hakan Atilla “an entirely feigned process which is inconsistent with the principle of a fair trial”, AP reported. Atilla was sentenced in Manhattan on Wednesday to a shorter than expected prison term of 32 months, including the 14 months he has already served. The trial, which ended in January, had featured testimony about corruption at top levels of the Turkish government. The ministry alleged the US court relied on “forged evidence and false statements” from members of the network of a US-based cleric accused of attempting to overthrow the Turkish government.