An Istanbul court ordered on Thursday the release of two suspects previously charged with involvement in last year's Sultanahmet bombing that killed one police officer.

The judge determined that the suspects, Abdula Abdulaev and Yakup İbragimov, should be released due to lack of evidence. However, the chief judge lodged a statement of opposition on the court decision.

The court also decided that the two suspects will be banned from leaving the country.

Last year in January, a woman blew herself up in Istanbul's Sultanahmet district, killing a police officer. Another policeman was also injured in the attack.

Turkish Interior Minister Efkan Ala later said the suicide bomber had been identified but refrained from naming the perpetrator.