A high criminal court in İstanbul on Wednesday decided to release 12 out of 35 suspects who are standing trial on charges of membership in a terrorist organization, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), and attempting to destroy the constitutional order.

In the latest hearing at the İstanbul 13th High Criminal Court, the court decided to release 12 out of the 17 jailed suspects while it ruled for continuation of the imprisonment of five others.

The court ruled to release the 12 people in consideration of time served in jail.

Prosecutors are seeking a jail sentence of up to 15 years for each of the suspects in the trial.

It is very common for Turkish courts to release ISIL suspects from pre-trial detention.

ISIL has carried out a series of terrorist attacks in Turkey since July 2015 that claimed the lives of hundreds of people.