ANKARA
(Reuters) - Amnesty International said on Tuesday truth and justice had become
"total strangers" in Turkey after its local director and five other
activists were
remanded in custody on accusations of belonging to a terrorist
organization.
Idil Eser,
local director of the London-based organization, was one of a group of
activists including a German and a Swedish national detained on July 5 while
attending a workshop on digital security and information management near
Istanbul.
Turkey's
state prosecutor had asked the court on Monday to remand all 10 in custody
pending trial on charges of membership of a terrorist organization.
"Turkish
prosecutors have had 12 days to establish the obvious: that these ten activists
are innocent. The decision to proceed shows that truth and justice have become
total strangers in Turkey," said Amnesty International’s Secretary
General, Salil Shetty.
"This
is not a legitimate investigation, this is a politically motivated witch-hunt
that charts a frightening future for rights in Turkey."
The court
ordered four of the activists be released, Hurriyet newspaper said. The 10
activists were detained as part of a crackdown following last July's failed
coup attempt in Turkey.
0 Comments