Civil Society Organizations from Germany: ‘Kavala and Aksakoğlu Should be Released’

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Seven civil society organizations in Germany have released a joint statement on the Gezi Park trial, saying the case should be dropped and civil society figures Osman Kavala and Yiğit Aksakoğlu should be immediately released.

The statement also called the Federal Government of Germany to "work at all levels for the release of detainees and for respect for the rule of law and human rights in Turkey to be preserved."

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The statement is undersigned by Amnesty International, the Academy of Arts, the German Publishers Association, the German Journalists Union (dju), the Turkey Germany Culture Forum, the PEN Center Germany and the Reporters Without Borders.

Noting that the defendants are charged with "attempted overthrow" and "preventing the government from performing its duties," the statement said that the allegations are without foundation.

"The case of Kavala and other defendants is just one example of the Turkish government's crackdown on its critics: During the two-year state of emergency, around 1,500 organizations and foundations were closed down. Peaceful protests were suppressed, those who speak critically about the government face the risk to be arrested.

There are currently more than 130 media workers in prison. Since July 2016, nearly 130,000 civil servants have been arbitrarily dismissed for alleged "alleged links with terrorist groups".

Meanwhile, Claudia Roth, an MP from the Federal Parliament, has come to İstanbul to watch the hearing, the Deutschlandradio reported. (GK/EKN/VK)