Turkey agrees to free 2 Czechs jailed on terror charges

PRAGUE (AP) — Two Czech nationals jailed in Turkey for belonging to a Kurdish militant group have been granted early release three years after being convicted on terror charges, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Friday.

Babis said Miroslav Farkas and Marketa Vselichova were flying home on a Czech government plane and will be treated by doctors on arrival.

“They have a very tough period behind them,” Babis said.

Turkey accused the two of belonging to YPG, a Kurdish group that was battling Islamic State militants in Syria with the aid of U.S. airstrikes. Turkey considers YPG a terrorist group.

The two were arrested Nov. 13, 2016 in Sirnak province while trying to cross Turkey’s border to Iraq. They were sentenced to six years and three months in prison each on Aug 2, 2017.

The Czech government said they had nothing to do with terrorism and had been planning to build a field hospital for the Kurds in Syria.

Babis said he discussed their case with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last September. “I’m glad that we reached a solution of the problem,” he said. He added the release of the two was unconditional.