SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Enes Kanter said his father, Dr. Mehmet Kanter has been released from a Turkish prison. In a series of tweets, the former Utah Jazz and current Boston Celtics center says his father has finally been freed. Dr. Kanter was sentenced to 15 years in prison after being accused of being connected to Fethullah Gulen, a group that attempted a coup of the Turkish government in 2016.

“Wow! I could cry Today I found out that 7 years after arresting my dad, taking him through a Kangaroo court and accusing him of being a criminal just because he is my dad,” Kanter wrote. “MY DAD HAS BEEN RELEASED! This is due to the pressure we have put on the Turkish regime.”

1) Wow!
I could cry
Today I found out that 7 years after arresting my dad, taking him through a Kangaroo court and accusing him of being a criminal just because he is my dad.

MY DAD HAS BEEN RELEASED!
This is due to the pressure we have put on the Turkish regime.

— Enes Kanter (@EnesKanter) June 19, 2020

Kanter’s father was in 2017 jailed due to accused connections to the Gulen movement.

The Celtics center has been an outspoken critic of the Turkish Government and President Recep Erdogan. In 2017, Kanter was held in a Romanian Airport for four days after his passport was canceled by the Turkish government.

Kanter had previously stated he feared he would disappear if he traveled to his home country. The Turkish government has a long history of imprisoning those who speak out against the government.

“They no longer could keep him from his freedom because of the spotlight that we all put on this case!” Kanter wrote. “However! He is just one person, there are still tens of thousands of people wrongfully in jail in Turkey. I will not forget you, we will not forget you!”

2) They no longer could keep him from his freedom because of the spotlight that we all put on this case!

However! He is just one person, there are still tens of thousands of people wrongfully in jail in Turkey.

I will not forget you, we will not forget you!

— Enes Kanter (@EnesKanter) June 19, 2020

“This proves that the voice of the people will always push Dictators to do the right thing in the end,” Kanter finished. “Don’t be scared to stand for what is right, always and always, Stand for FREEDOM Stand for DEMOCRACY Stand for HUMAN RIGHTS.”

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