Below you’ll find breaking news as well as reports, updates on our campaigns, and victories.
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Press Release
Eyes of the world on Turkey as show trial of human rights activists begins
Trumped up terror charges against 11 human rights defenders, including Amnesty International’s Turkey director and chair, do not stand up to the slightest scrutiny, said Amnesty International as court proceedings begin in Istanbul and Izmir.
October 24, 2017
Press Release
Outrageous charges against jailed Amnesty staff in Turkey must be rejected
Responding to news that a prosecutor has filed an indictment calling for jail terms of up to 15 years on terror charges for 11 human rights activists including Idil Eser and Taner Kilic, the director and chair of Amnesty International Turkey, John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International’s Europe Director said the following:
October 8, 2017
Press Release
UK Foreign Secretary Calls for Release of Jailed Activists in Turkey, Including Amnesty Staff
Speaking at an event in Sydney, UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said he ‘deplored’ the actions of the Turkish authorities in arresting human rights activists, including Idil Eser, Amnesty’s Turkey Director, and Taner Kiliç, Amnesty’s Turkey Chair, the Foreign Secretary said:
July 28, 2017
Press Release
Amnesty International Urges EU Officials to Raise Issue of Detained Human Rights Defenders with Turkish minister
While members and activists demonstrated outside, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, Salil Shetty, met with the European Commission’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Federica Mogherini, and asked her to urgently raise the issue of jailed human rights defenders at her meeting with the Turkish Foreign Affairs and EU Ministers later today. Amnesty International’s Turkey Director and Chair, Idil Eser and Taner Kılıç are currently in detention facing terrorism related charges.
July 25, 2017
Press Release
Prior to meeting with Turkish foreign minister, EU official to discuss jailed activists with Amnesty chief
Amnesty International’s Secretary General, Salil Shetty, will urge EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini to urgently raise the issue of jailed human rights defenders — including Amnesty International’s Turkey Director and Chair, Idil Eser and Taner Kılıç — at her meeting with the Turkish Foreign Minister tomorrow morning.
July 24, 2017
Press Release
Turkey: Detention of rights activists, including Amnesty Director, extended
Turkish authorities must immediately and unconditionally release 10 human rights defenders, Amnesty International said today after their week-long police detention was extended by up to a further seven days.
July 11, 2017
Press Release
Director of Amnesty International Turkey must be released from incommunicado detention
Responding to the news that Idil Eser, Director of Amnesty International Turkey, was detained on Wednesday along with seven other human rights defenders and two trainers during a digital security and information management workshop in Büyükada, Istanbul, Salil Shetty, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said:
July 5, 2017
Press Release
Turkey: Imprisonment of Amnesty Chair is a devastating injustice
The Turkish prosecution’s decision to charge Taner Kiliç, the Chair of Amnesty International Turkey, with “membership of a terrorist organisation” is a mockery of justice, and highlights the devastating impact of the Turkish authorities’ crackdown following the failed coup attempt in July last year, Amnesty International said today.
June 9, 2017
Press Release
Chair of Amnesty International Turkey swept up in post-coup purge
Responding to the news that Taner Kiliç, the Chair of Amnesty International Turkey, was detained yesterday by police along with 22 other lawyers in Izmir on suspicion of having links with the Fethullah Gülen movement, Salil Shetty, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said:
June 7, 2017
Report
No end in sight: Purged public sector workers denied a future in Turkey
The dismissal of more than 100,000 public sector workers in Turkey is arbitrary and has had a catastrophic impact on their lives and livelihoods, a new report published by Amnesty International reveals. No end in sight: Purged public sector workers denied a future in Turkey finds that tens of thousands of people including doctors, police officers, teachers, academics and soldiers, branded as ‘terrorists’ and banned from public service, are now struggling to make ends meet. “The shockwaves of Turkey’s post-coup attempt crackdown continue to devastate the lives of a vast number of people who have not only lost their jobs…
May 21, 2017
Press Release
Trump and Erdogan meeting no time for self-congratulation
"While these two leaders sit and congratulate each other in the White House, thousands of people around the world are feeling the effects of their spiraling assaults on human rights."
May 16, 2017
Press Release
World Press Freedom Day: From Chilling Arrests in the U.S. to Prisons in Turkey, Freedom of the Press Must be Protected
While the White House considers reviewing libel laws and reporters face arrest both in the United States and around the world, Amnesty International is calling on governments around the world to respect the freedom of the press on World Press Freedom Day – observed on May 3.
May 2, 2017