Yasim Yildiz was sentenced to 39 months of imprisonment for issuing threats to the staff of the Istanbul-based Armenian weekly “Agos” after the assassination of its chief editor Hrant Dink.

Yildiz admitted the charges, saying he was irritated because of the newspaper’s comments on Armenian-Turkish problems. The court sentences him to 3 years for threats and to another 3 months for insults. The court rejected the petition for deferring the punishment.

Earlier, for threatening Agos staffers, the Sisli Second Magistrate Criminal Court imposed a fine of 8.000 lira (U.S. $ 5.500) on Mehmet Celepoglu, sentenced Muhammet Karay to 3 years and 3 months, Zafer Filiz to 3 years and Ridvan Dogan to 2 years in prison.