Serkan Golge, a Turkish-American scientist imprisoned in Turkey for nearly three years, has been released.

Morgan Ortagus, a U.S. State Department spokeswoman, welcomed the decision but declined to discuss why he was released.

However, he told reporters Wednesday it was the “right thing to do.”

Golge was on a family visit in southern Turkey when he was arrested in the aftermath of a failed coup, which Turkey blames on U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Golge was convicted in February 2018 for membership in a terror group and sentenced to 7 1/2 years, subsequently reduced to five by the appeals court.

His wife Kubra Golge told The Associated Press that she spoke on the phone with him upon his release and that he was very happy.

Golge denies links to Gulen’s network.
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