Turkey's former army chief Ilker Basbug, the highest-ranking defendant convicted in a mass trial over an alleged coup plot, has fiercely criticized his comrades for showing a lack of loyalty and support.

In his book "Suclamalara Karsi Gercekler" (Accusations Against Truth), Basbug gives an account of his two years in detention, as well as his frustration after he was jailed for life in August last year convicted of plotting to overthrow the government.

A Turkish court on Friday released two Kurdish lawmakers from prison after the country's top court ruled that their long pre-trial detention violated their rights, media reported.

Ibrahim Ayhan and Gulser Yildirim of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), were detained in 2010 suspected of links to the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

A prominent Turkish-Armenian blogger has been sent to jail on charges of illegal construction amid a growing chorus of criticism over a graft scandal engulfing the government, local media reported on Friday.

Sevan Nisanyan was sentenced in December to two years in prison in a case he claims was punishment for his outspoken views about restrictions on freedom of expression in Turkey.

Turkish prosecutors said Friday they have charged 36 protesters with terrorism over mass anti-government demonstrations that swept the country last year.

They face a range of charges including being a member of a terrorist organization, illegal possession of hazardous material and terrorist propaganda, Hurriyet newspaper reported, quoting the indictment.

Connections often break down, power cuts are frequent and no one rings when the radio show host invites listeners to call in with comments.

But the tiny group of Syrian exiles running Istanbul-based Radio Alkul is determined to keep broadcasting "uncensored" news back to those trapped in the country's brutal civil war.

Turkey's military has demanded a retrial for army officers convicted of plotting to topple the government in two separate cases, claiming the evidence was fabricated, media reports said Thursday.

The armed forces lodged a complaint about the evidence with the Ankara chief prosecutor's office on December 27, the private NTV television reported.

Turkey denied on Thursday local media reports that its security forces had seized a truck laden with weapons bound for Syria.

"The truck was loaded with aid for the Turkmen community in Syria," Interior Minister Efkan Ala told reporters.

Iran's foreign minister is set to visit Turkey on Saturday in the midst of a high-level corruption probe looking into illicit money transfers to Tehran.

Mohammad Javad Zarif's trip comes as Turkey seeks to improve economic and political ties with its neighbor but with the government in Ankara embroiled in a deep political crisis over the corruption scandal.

Turkish security forces have seized a truck laden with weapons bound for Syria and arrested three people including a Syrian, local media reported on Thursday.

Acting on a tipoff, security forces on Wednesday stopped the truck in the southern province of Hatay on the Syrian border, Hurriyet newspaper reported.

Around 1,000 protesters flooded an Istanbul metro station on Tuesday after a young homeless man was reportedly beaten by a security guard when he tried to board without paying.

The demonstration flared into a broader protest against the government, which has been battling a damaging political crisis sparked by a corruption probe.