Human rights activists go on trial

Eleven human rights activists including two from Amnesty International have gone on trial in Turkey, accused of belonging to and ai ding terror groups.

Ten of the activists, including Amnesty’s Turkey director Idil Eser, German national Peter Steudtner and Swede Ali Gharavi, were arrested at a digital security training workshop in July. They face prison sentences of up to 15 years if found guilty.

The activists have been charged with plotting an uprising and aiding Kurdish and left- wing militants. They are also accused of a betting the movement led by a US-based cl eric t he Turkish government blames for a coup attempt last year.

Their cases have heightened concerns of an authoritarian turn under Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Human rights groups say the defendants are accused of “trumped- up” charges.

The trial is one of several cases that have deepened a rift between Turkey and European nations.