Israeli man released from Turkish prison after serving 5 years for drug trafficking

19 August 2023, 9:20 pm

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Danny Aweke. (Courtesy)

Danny Aweke, an Israeli man imprisoned in Turkey for almost five years on a drug trafficking conviction, is released from prison and is making his way back to Israel, Hebrew media reports.

Danny Aweke, 35, was arrested in 2019 on suspicion of smuggling khat leaves through Turkey and was later convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison. In recent months, his mental condition has deteriorated, prompting the personal intervention of Minister of Foreign Affairs Eli Cohen and President Isaac Herzog, according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry.

Cohen announced his release Thursday evening, attributing Aweke’s release to “warming relations between Israel and Turkey.”