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A Turkey's border police personel stands on a watchtower overlooking a barbed wire wall fence erected on the Bulgaria-Turkey border near the town of Lesovo, on September 14, 2016. / AFP / NIKOLAY DOYCHINOV (Photo credit should read NIKOLAY DOYCHINOV/AFP via Getty Images)

Press Release

Re-Arrest of Osman Kavala in Turkey Smacks of Calculated Cruelty

The decision to detain Osman Kavala on new charges merely hours after a court-ordered his release must be immediately reversed and he must immediately set free, said Amnesty International.

February 19, 2020

Yellow and white graphic with the Amnesty international logo on the bottom left and the word

Press Release

Osman Kavala and two others face aggravated life sentences in Turkey as landmark verdict expected in Gezi trial

Ahead of tomorrow’s expected verdict in the so-called ‘Gezi trial’ where civil society leader Osman Kavala and 15 others are on trial on trumped-up charges of ‘attempting to overthrow the government’, Amnesty International’s Turkey Campaigner, Milena Buyum said: “The outcome of this case will show the rest of the world whether respect for human rights has any part to play in the Turkish justice system.”  “Despite failing to produce a shred of evidence to support their claim that Osman Kavala, Mücella Yapıcı and Yiğit Aksakoğlu were involved in any criminal activity let alone conspiring to overthrow the government, the prosecution is seeking to condemn them…

February 14, 2020

Amnesty International staff stand in Solidarity with Idil Eser, Taner Kiliç, and other activists detained in Turkey. London, England, 18 July, 2017. Amnesty International Turkey’s Chair and Director as well as other prominent human rights defenders behind bars amid a spiralling crackdown. Amnesty Turkey's Chair, Taner Kiliç, was remanded in prison on baseless charges in early June 2017, and the Director of Amnesty Turkey, Idil Eser, was detained alongside seven other prominent human rights activists in July, 2017. They all face criminal investigations on the absurd suspicion of being members of an ‘armed terrorist organisation’.

Press Release

Turkey’s Prosecution Call for Jail Term of Up to 15 Years for Six Human Rights Defenders, Including Amnesty’s Honorary Chair and Former Director, Defies Logic

“Today’s vindictive request by the State Prosecutor for jail terms of up to 15 years ignores the evidence and defies all logic."

November 27, 2019

Press Release

Amnesty’s Ex-Director and Honorary Chair in Turkey Must be Acquitted in Absurd “Terror” Trial

More than two years after they were first detained, the honorary chair, the former director of Amnesty International and nine other human rights defenders must be acquitted of the absurd charges they still face, said Amnesty International ahead of their next trial hearing which resumes tomorrow in Istanbul. 

November 25, 2019

Turkish journalist and writer Ahmet Altan (L) speaks to journalists after being realised on November 4, 2019. - A Turkish court ordered journalist Ahmet Altan to be released on November 4, 2019, under judicial supervision despite sentencing him to more than 10 years in prison, state news agency Anadolu reported. He was accused of links to the group blamed for the country's failed coup in 2016. Journalist Nazli Ilicak was also to be released after having her own life sentence overturned, Anadolu said. (Photo by BULENT KILIC / AFP) (Photo by BULENT KILIC/AFP via Getty Images)

Press Release

Decision to Re-Arrest Writer Ahmet Altan in Turkey a Scandalous Injustice

Following a court decision to re-arrest writer Ahmet Altan just a week after he was released from jail following more than three years in pre-trial detention, Amnesty International’s Europe Director, Marie Struthers said:

November 12, 2019

A journalist poses with a portrait of Turkish journalist Ahmet Altan on June 19, 2017 in front of the Istanbul courthouse, where his trial is to take place. 17 suspects, including jailed journalists Nazli Ilicak, Ahmet Altan and Mehmet Altan, will appear before an Istanbul court on June 19 for the first time in a case into the media leg of the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO). / AFP PHOTO / OZAN KOSE (Photo credit should read OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images)

Press Release

A Dark Day for Press Freedom in Turkey After Politically Motivated Trial Injustice

Following trial court’s decision to sentence Nazlı Ilıcak and Ahmet Altan to 10-and-a-half, and 8 years and 9 months in prison, on ludicrous charges of “knowingly and willingly assisting a terrorist organization,” Sara Hall, Deputy Regional Director of Campaigns for Amnesty International, said:

November 4, 2019

TOPSHOT - Syrian Arab and Kurdish civilians flee with their belongings amid Turkish bombardment on Syria's northeastern town of Ras al-Ain in the Hasakeh province along the Turkish border on October 9, 2019. - Turkey launched a broad assault on Kurdish-controlled areas in northeastern Syria today, with intensive bombardment paving the way for an invasion made possible by the withdrawal of US troops. (Photo by Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP) (Photo by DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Press Release

Turkey Illegally Deported Syrians Into War Ahead of Anticipated ‘Safe Zone’

Turkey spent the months leading up to its military incursion into northeast Syria forcibly deporting refugees to the war-torn country, in advance of attempting to create a so-called “safe zone” on the Syrian side of the border, new Amnesty International research has revealed.

October 24, 2019

Turkish-backed Syrian rebels gather in Hawar Killis in the northern countryside of Syria's Aleppo province on October 11, 2019 as they prepare to take part in Turkey's invasion of northeastern Syria. - Turkish and allied forces faced stiff Kurdish resistance as they battled to seize key border towns, on the third day of a broad offensive that sparked a civilian exodus. (Photo by Zein Al RIFAI / AFP) (Photo by ZEIN AL RIFAI/AFP via Getty Images)

Press Release

Turkish Military Offensive Risks a Humanitarian Catastrophe in Syria 

The military offensive by Turkey in northeast Syria risks devastating humanitarian consequences and a further destabilization of the region, warned Amnesty International’s Europe Director, Marie Struthers, reiterating the call on Turkey to respect international law.

October 11, 2019

Press Release

Civilians at risk in Syria as Turkish military offensive looms

Responding to the Turkish government’s statements that its forces are set to cross into northeast Syria “shortly” as part of an offensive to move US-backed Kurdish forces away from its border, Amnesty International’s Middle East Research Director Lynn Maalouf said:  “As the Turkish military gears up to attack Kurdish forces in northeast Syria, it is imperative that all parties to this conflict respect international humanitarian law, including by refraining from carrying out attacks on civilians and civilian objects, as well as indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks. “As in other parts of Syria, scores of civilians in northeast Syria have already suffered…

October 9, 2019

Protesters hold a banner that reads, "Free rights defenders" during a rally outside the court house where the trial of eleven human rights activists is taking place in Istanbul on October 25, 2017. Eleven human rights activists, including the two top figures with Amnesty International in Turkey, are due to go on trial on contested terror charges, seen by the rights watchdog as a test case for the judiciary. / AFP PHOTO / YASIN AKGUL (Photo credit should read YASIN AKGUL/AFP/Getty Images)

Press Release

Turkish Judicial Farce Must End With Acquittal Of Human Rights Defenders

More than two years after they were first detained, the honorary chair and the former Director of Amnesty International Turkey and nine other human rights defenders must be acquitted of the absurd charges they still face, said Amnesty International ahead of their trial which resumes tomorrow in Istanbul. 

October 8, 2019

Yellow and white graphic with the Amnesty international logo on the bottom left and the word

Press Release

‘Appalling’ violence used against students holding Pride march in Turkey

Reacting to the news that a Pride march organized by students at the Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara has been violently broken up by police and 25 students arrested, Fotis Filippou, Campaigns Director for Europe at Amnesty International, said: “It is heartbreaking to hear that today’s Pride march, which should have been a celebration of love and solidarity, was so violently broken up by police using pepper spray, plastic bullets and tear gas, and that at least 25 people have reportedly been unlawfully detained. Reports of excessive use of force by the police must be urgently investigated.” “Amnesty International condemns…

May 10, 2019

Turkish cartoonist Musa Kart of the Cumhuriyet (L) hugs his wife after being freed from Silivri prison on July 28, 2017 following a Turkish court order to free the seven defendants. The hugely controversial trial in Istanbul of 17 writers, cartoonists and executives from the Cumhuriyet daily newspaper on "terror" charges -- ridiculed as absurd by supporters -- began earlier this week. After five days of intense hearings, the judge ordered that seven suspects, including cartoonist Musa Kart, be released ahead of the next hearing under judicial supervision, meaning they have to report to the authorities regularly. / AFP PHOTO / YASIN AKGUL / The erroneous mention appearing in the metadata of this photo by YASIN AKGUL has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [Turkish cartoonist Musa Kart of the Cumhuriyet (L) hugs his wife after being freed from Silivri prison on July 28, 2017 following a Turkish court order to free the seven defendants.] instead of [Supporters hoist posters while they wait for the release of seven people from Silivri prison in Istanbul on July 28, 2017 following a Turkish court order to free the defendants. ]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention from all your online services and delete it from your servers. If you have been authorized by AFP to distribute it to third parties, please ensure that the same actions are carried out by them. Failure to promptly comply with these instructions will entail liability on your part for any continued or post notification usage. Therefore we thank you very much for all your attention and prompt action. We are sorry for the inconvenience this notification may cause and remain at your disposal for any further information you may require. (Photo credit should read YASIN AKGUL/AFP/Getty Images)

Press Release

Courts in Turkey being used to strangle media freedom

Responding to the decision of a Turkish first instance appeals court to uphold the conviction of journalists and executives from the Cumhuriyet newspaper, Amnesty International’s Turkey Strategy and Research Manager, Andrew Gardner said: “Today’s ruling to send the former Cumhuriyet staff back to prison exposes yet again the way in which politically motivated trials and unsound court decisions are simply rubber stamped by an equally biased appeals process. “The prosecution of scores of journalists and other media workers is an ongoing affront to press freedom and to justice. By using the courts to increase their stranglehold on the media, the authorities have once again displayed the ugly side of…

February 19, 2019