Four Turkish academics arrested on charges of conducting terrorist propaganda were released pending trial by an Istanbul court on Friday.

Turkish authorities arrested the four in March, after they publicly read out a declaration reiterating a call to end security operations in the mainly Kurdish southeast, where the PKK terror organization has renewed its 40-year-long armed campaign against the Turkish state in July 2015 following a one and a half year long truce period.

The four were among 1,128 academics who signed the petition, whose numbers later increased to over 2,000.

The language of the petition was heavily criticized by government officials, while a counter-petition was signed by more than 6,000 academics.

Because the petition failed to condemn or mention the violent acts committed by the PKK, some interpreted it as being one-sided.

Around 25 NGO's, parliamentarians and representatives from foreign missions in Turkey attended the trial, along with academics and students.