Turkish NBA Player Enes Kanter speaks to media during a news conference about his detention at a Romanian airport on May 22, 2017 in New York City. Kanter returned to the U.S. after being detained for several hours at a Romanian airport following statements he made criticizing Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. AFP
ANKARA, Turkey — Media reports say the father of NBA basketball player Enes Kanter has been released from police custody in Turkey, where he was detained as part of an investigation into alleged links to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.
The private Dogan news agency said university professor Mehmet Kanter was released Wednesday (Thursday Manila time) after five days in custody on condition that he regularly report to a police station.
Enes Kanter, the Oklahoma City Thunder player, is a vocal supporter of Gulen, who the Turkish government blames for a failed military coup last summer. Mehmet Kanter had disowned his son for his open support of Gulen.
Enes was detained in Romania on May 20 because his Turkish passport was cancelled. He said he was able to return to the United States after American officials intervened.