Turkey's former armed forces chief has been jailed for life for plotting to overthrow the government, after five years of trials involving officers, lawyers, writers and journalists.

Gen Ilker Basbug was among dozens of people convicted of involvement in the so-called Ergenekon plot.

Critics of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan have accused him of staging show trials to eliminate his enemies.

His supporters say the trials have pushed the military out of politics.

Verdicts are being read out one by one at a specially constructed courtroom in Istanbul.

Twenty-one people have been acquitted and some 40 convicted so far, including at least one journalist and a police chief.

Gen Basbug, who led the military between 2008 and 2010, had rejected all the charges against him.

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