Court orders release of prominent Turkish journalist from prison pending appeal

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A Turkish court on Monday ordered the release of veteran journalist Fatih Altayli from prison pending the outcome of his appeal against a conviction for allegedly threatening President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Altayli, 63, a longtime columnist whose YouTube programs drew hundreds of thousands of viewers daily, was sentenced last month to four years and two months in prison. He had been arrested in June on charges of threatening the president during one of his broadcasts — a case critics described as an attempt to silence a prominent government opponent.

The regional appeals court ruled for his release from prison, citing the absence of any flight risk, the fact that evidence had already been collected, and the time he had already spent in detention, according to state-run Anadolu Agency.

Altayli’s arrest stemmed from remarks on his program “Fatih Altayli Comments,” in which he discussed a survey showing more than 70% of the public opposed a lifetime presidency for Erdogan, who has ruled for over two decades. Altayli said he was not surprised by the result, noting that Turkish society favored checks on authority.

“Look at the history of this nation,” he said. “This is a nation which strangled its sultan when they didn’t like him or want him. There are quite a few Ottoman sultans who were assassinated, strangled, or whose deaths were made to look like suicide.”

Altayli has strongly denied that his comments amounted to a threat against Erdogan.

Following his arrest, he continued to provide commentary through letters relayed by his lawyers, though he later suspended the program.

With much of Turkey’s mainstream media owned by pro-government businesses or directly controlled by the state, many independent journalists have turned to YouTube as a platform for uncensored reporting.

FILE - An empty chair takes center stage at a TV studio set where at the time imprisoned Turkish journalist Fatih Altayli continued to deliver news on his YouTube show through letters read by his assistant, in Istanbul, Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File)

The Baltimore Orioles are bringing back right-hander Zach Eflin on a $10 million, one-year contract.

The Orioles acquired Eflin in a trade from Tampa Bay during the 2024 season, and he pitched well down the stretch that year, but he went 6-5 with a 5.93 ERA during an injury-plagued 2025. With the Orioles on their way to a last-place finish, Eflin seemed like a candidate to be traded in July, but just before the deadline he went on the injured list with back trouble, and he was eventually ruled out for the season.

After becoming a free agent, the 31-year-old Eflin is returning to the Orioles. He's set to receive $5 million in 2026, plus a $3 million signing bonus. His deal also includes a $25 million mutual option for 2027 or a $2 million buyout.

Additionally, Eflin's option price and his buyout would each escalate depending on how many starts he makes this coming season: $1 million for 15 starts, $1.5 million for 20 and $2.5 million for 25. Since mutual options are almost never exercised, he could earn up to $15 million for one season.

Baltimore has been active after a disappointing 2025 season, signing slugger Pete Alonso and reliever Ryan Helsley and trading for reliever Andrew Kittredge, outfielder Taylor Ward and right-hander Shane Baz.

Outfielder Will Robertson was designated for assignment to open a roster spot.

AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.

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FILE - Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin delivers during the third inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Monday, July 28, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File)