Istanbul court rules for Turkish employee of US consulate to remain in custody

A court in Istanbul has ruled for a Turkish employee of the US Consulate to remain in custody pending the outcome of his trial on charges of espionage and attempting to overthrow the Turkish government, Anadolu reports. The court’s interim decision on Thursday is expected to further strain ties between the two NATO allies. Metin Topuz, who has been held in pre-trial detention for more than a year, was expected to be released, AP said. Topuz, a translator and assistant for the US Drug Enforcement Agency, is accused of having links to the US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen. Ankara blames Gulen for the 2016 coup attempt, while he denies any links to the failed coup. Topuz, a 59-year-old Turkish citizen, denies the accusation.