Turkish court says six human rights campaigners must stay in detention

A Turkish court yesterday ordered that six human rights activists, including Amnesty International’s Turkey director, remain in custody for allegedly aiding a terrorist group.

Turkey director Idil Eser was held on July 5 with seven other activists and two foreign trainers during a digital security and information management workshop on Buyukada, an island south of Istanbul.

“Six were remanded in custody and four released on judicial control,” said Andrew Gardner, Amnesty International’s Turkey researcher.

Prosecutors accuse them of “committing a crime in the name of a terrorist organisation without being a member”, he said.

Amnesty International’s secretary general, Salil Shetty, said: “Turkish prosecutors have had 12 days to establish the obvious: that these 10 activists are innocent. The decision to proceed shows that truth and justice have become total strangers in Turkey.

“This is not a legitimate investigation, this is a politically motivated witch hunt that charts a frightening future for rights in Turkey.”

Their detention amplified fears of declining freedom of expression under president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The ruling came a day after the activists, who have not yet been put on trial or formally charged, gave statements to prosecutors for the first time since their detention.

Eight of those detained were Turkish activists, including Ilknur Ustun of the Women’s Coalition, and Veli Acu of the Human Rights Agenda Association. Four of those have been released, Mr Gardner said.

Two foreigners – a German and a Swedish national who were leading the digital information workshop – remain in pre-trial detention.

Mr Gardner said the court verdict was a “shocking travesty of justice. What we’ve learnt today is that defending human rights has become a crime in Turkey”.

“After this decision none of us who defend human rights in Turkey, whether it is Amnesty International or other organisations, are safe in this country. This decision cannot be allowed to stand.”

Mr Erdogan said this month that the activists were detained on a tip-off they were working against the government, comparing them with those involved in a failed coup in July last year.

Since then, more than 50,000 people have been jailed and more than 100,000 state servants have been dismissed.