Turkish court jails 6 human rights activists pending trial

ISTANBUL (AP) — A Turkish court on Tuesday jailed Amnesty International’s Turkey director and five other human rights activists pending trial for allegedly aiding an armed terror group — making them the latest suspects in a massive government crackdown initially launched against alleged supporters of last year’s failed coup but has since broadened to include government opponents.

In a decision Amnesty called a “crushing blow for rights in Turkey,” the court in Istanbul also decided to release four other activists from custody pending the outcome of a trial, but barred them from travelling abroad. They will also have to report regularly to police.

The 10 — Amnesty’s Turkey director Idil Eser, seven human rights defenders and their German and Swedish trainers — were detained in a July 5 police raid on a hotel on the island of Buyukada, off Istanbul, where they were attending a digital security workshop.

The detentions added to the growing concerns over rights and freedoms in the country where the postcoup crackdown has resulted in more than 50,000 arrests and the dismissal of more than 110,000 from government jobs. The crackdown has netted journalists, politicians and activists. Several media outlets and NGOs have been shut down.

“This is not a legitimate investigation, this is a politically motivated witch-hunt that charts a frightening future for rights in Turkey,” said Salil Shetty, Amnesty ‘s secretary general.

He said: “Today we have learnt that standing up for human rights has become a crime in Turkey. This is a moment of truth, for Turkey and for the international community.”

Shetty also called on countries to put pressure on Turkey to release the activists, saying: “leaders around the world must stop biting their tongues and acting as if they continue business as usual.”