Jul 24, 2019, 5:38 PM

US releases Turkish national imprisoned on charges related to violating Iran sanctions

TEHRAN, Jul. 24 (MNA) – Hakan Atilla, the former deputy head of Turkish state-owned Halkbank, who had been imprisoned in the US on charges related to violating Iran sanctions for 32 months, has been released and arrived in Turkey this morning.

Hakan Atilla, 48, arrived in Istanbul from the United States this morning, according to TRT English TV website. Atilla was released from prison in the United States on Friday. The former deputy director-general at Turkey's Halkbank was sentenced in May 2018 to 32 months in prison in the US for violating sanctions on Iran.

He'd been serving a 32 month sentence for violating UN sanctions on Iran. But Turkey maintains his sentencing was politically motivated.

Atilla's arrest came after Turkish businessman Reza Sarraf was arrested in 2016 in the US for violating American sanctions on Iran.

He then cooperated with prosecutors and issued a testimony against Atilla, which was used to convict the Turkish banker.

KI/PR

News ID 148048