ANKARA:- A Turkish court jailed 45 students Tuesday over a 2012 protest against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at an Ankara university when he visited to celebrate a satellite launch, state media reported. The students were convicted of violating laws on meetings and impeding public officials in their work after they demonstrated against Erdogan's visit to Middle East Technical University (METU). The court in the capital Ankara sentenced each of the students to 10 months imprisonment, state-run news agency Anadolu said.–AFP

Police used tear gas and water cannon during the clashes with protesters in December 2012 when Erdogan visited the campus to watch the launch of a Turkish earth observation satellite into orbit aboard a Chinese rocket via a video link.

The clashes caused huge controversy, with the opposition accusing the authorities of using heavy-handed tactics against a relatively minor demonstration.