Turkey's Prisoners Mass Release Not to Affect Suspected Killer of Russian Pilot

The decision made by the Turkish authorities to release some 38,000 prisoners to make space in overcrowded jails does not apply to suspected killer of Russian pilot in Syria, Alparslan Celik, a deputy prosecutor general of Turkey said Thursday.

MOSCOW, August 18 (Sputnik) — According to Mehmet Fatih Ozturk, cited by the Dogan news agency, Celik will remain under detention until July 2017 despite penitentiary system reform in the country announced on Wednesday by the Justice Ministry.

Alparslan Celik, a Turkish national, has been on trial in Izmir for illegal possession and carrying of weapons. Earlier, he claimed responsibility for the murder of Russia's Su-24 pilot Oleg Peshkov, whose jet was struck down by a Turkish plane last November.