Amnesty International: Rights Defenders Should be Acquitted in Büyükada Trial

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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, Amnesty International has said ahead of their next hearing which will be held tomorrow (November 27) in Istanbul.

Taner Kılıç, Amnesty Turkey's Honorary Chair, is being tried alongside İdil Eser, the organization's former Turkey director and nine other human rights defenders, known as the "İstanbul 10", on baseless allegations of "membership of a terrorist organisation".

"After months in jail and years before the courts, the prosecution has failed to present any credible evidence to substantiate the absurd charges made against Taner and the Istanbul 10," said Kumi Naidoo, Amnesty International's Secretary General.

"Instead, baseless accusations against them have been comprehensively demolished over the course of nine hearings. And yet the threat of conviction still hangs over them."

Taner Kılıç spent more than 14 months in prison before his release on bail in August 2018. Eight of the Istanbul 10 spent almost four months each behind bars before they were bailed in October 2017.

"The egregious injustice that our colleagues and friends have experienced for more than two years is common to hundreds of human rights defenders in Turkey who spend their days either languishing in jail or living in constant fear of prosecution," said Kumi Naidoo from Amnesty International.

"The İstanbul 10 and Taner must be acquitted, and all those jailed merely for defending human rights must be immediately and unconditionally released."

The hearing will begin at 07.00am GMT, on 27 November, 10.00am local time, at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court, No 35.

An international delegation of senior Amnesty International representatives from around the world will attend the hearing in including Kerry Moscogiuri, Campaigns Director of AI UK, John Peder Egenaes, Director of AI Norway, and Gaberiele Stein, the chairperson of Amnesty International Germany.

The prosecution has failed to produce any evidence of criminal wrongdoing, let alone 'terrorism', during more than two years of this prosecution.

Three of the human rights defenders on trial who are lawyers (Taner Kılıç Nalan Erkem and Şeyhmus Özbekli) could also lose their license to practice law after a conviction for a terrorist offence.

What happened?

On July 5, 10 rights advocates from various rights organizations were taken into custody during a training workshop with the topic "Protection and digital security of human rights advocates" in Büyükada, one of the Prince Islands in İstanbul. Nothing was heard from detained rights defenders for 30 hours.

On July 18, Idil Eser (Amnesty International Turkey Director), Özlem Dalkıran (Citizens' Assembly / formerly called Helsinki Citizens Association), Günal Kurşun (Human Rights Agenda Association), Veli Acu (Human Rights Agenda Association), Ali Garawi (citizen of Sweden / human rights trainer), and Peter Steudtner (citizen of Germany / human rights trainer) were arrested on charges of "committing crimes on behalf of the terrorist organization without being a member" (Article 220/6 of Turkish Penal Code/TCK ) and "being a member of an armed terrorist organization" (Articles 314/2 and 314/3 of TCK).

On July 23, İlknur Üstün (Women's Coalition) and Nalan Erkem (Citizens' Assembly / formerly called Helsinki Citizens Association), who were released on probation earlier with an international travel ban, were arrested later upon the prosecutor’s objection to their release.

Amnesty International Turkey Executive Board Chair Taner Kılıç who had been in pre-trial detention since June 2017 in another case, was included to the indictment of Büyükada lawsuit later as a suspect.

According to the bill of indictment prepared by Public Prosecutor Can Tuncay, the rights defenders are claimed to be members of the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization/Parallel State Organization (FETÖ/PDY), Kurdistan Workers' Party/Kurdistan Communities Union (PKK/KCK) and The Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C).

On October 25, the court ruled that Günal Kurşun, İlknur Üstün, İdil Eser, Nalan Erkem, Peter Steudtner, Özlem Dalkıran, Ali Garawi and Veli Acu be released. In addition, an international travel ban was imposed on Özlem Dalkıran and Veli Acu, and the probation order for Şeyhmus Özbekli and Nejat Taştan that was issued on July 25, was revoked.

The file of Taner Kılıç, who was standing trial in a separate case held before İzmir 16 Assize Court on charge of "financing terrorism and spying" and was later included in the indictment of Büyükada lawsuit as a suspect, was combined with the main Büyükada Case.

(EMK/VK)