A court found the president of the Turkish Medical Association guilty of spreading "propaganda for terrorist organizations" after a trial that human rights groups saw as an attempt to silence critics of authorities, AP reports.

A court in Istanbul sentenced Dr. Sebnem Korur Fincanci to nearly three years in prison, but also ordered her released from custody pending trial while she appeals her sentence.

Fincanci, 63, was arrested in October on charges of propaganda for the Kurdistan Workers' Party. The arrest followed a media interview in which she called for an independent investigation into allegations that the Turkish military used chemical weapons against Kurdish fighters in northern Iraq.

Fincanci is the latest activist to be convicted under Turkey's broad anti-terrorism laws. She has devoted much of her career to documenting torture and ill-treatment, and served as president of the Turkish Foundation for Human Rights.

During her trial, Fincanci denied accusations that she engaged in propaganda during the interview, claiming that she was expressing a professional opinion.

The accusations stemmed from an interview she gave to the pro-Kurdish television channel Medya Haber and commented on a video showing the use of chemical weapons. She suggested that a toxic gas might have been released, but also called for an "effective investigation.