Amnesty: 'Gezi Case Should be Dropped'

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Amnesty Turkey has made a statement on the Gezi Park trial which began today (June 24) with numerous civil society figures including Osman Kavala and Yiğit Aksakoğlu appearing before the judge.

Amnesty International's Turkey Strategy and Research Manager Andrew said, "Today, Osman Kavala - who should not have spent a single day in jail - marks 600 days behind bars in pre-trial detention. This trial speaks volumes about the deeply flawed judiciary that has allowed this political witch-hunt to take place.

CLICK - Gezi Trial: Kavala and Aksakoğlu Appear Before Judge

"The 657-page indictment against Osman Kavala, Yiğit Aksakoğlu and 14 others does not contain a single shred of evidence that they were in any way involved in criminal activity, let alone conspiring to overthrow the government. Instead it is absurdly attempting to portray routine civil society activities as crimes.

"This trial is nothing more than an egregious attempt to silence some of Turkey's most prominent civil society figures. Osman Kavala and Yiğit Aksakoğlu must be immediately released and the absurd charges against all 16 of them must be dropped." (EKN/VK)