Complex sentence: He was originally sentenced to four years and two months in a Turkish prison; with his release date weeks away, he learned that the authorities had chosen to penalize him with a life sentence for smuggling instead of possession.
Split into simpler sentences: He was originally sentenced to four years and two months in a Turkish prison. With his release date only weeks away, he learned that the authorities had chosen to penalize him with a life sentence for smuggling instead of possession.