Turkish Court Convicts 4 Rights Activists Of Terror-Related Offenses
Faizan Hashmi Published July 04, 2020 | 12:30 AM
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 04th July, 2020) A Turkish court on Friday convicted Amnesty Turkey's honorary chair Taner Kilic, ex-director Idil Eser and two other human rights defenders on terrorism-related charges.
The four were among 10 activists arrested during a conference in an Istanbul hotel in summer 2017. Kilic was charged with being a member of a terrorist organization, while Eser, Ozlem Dalkiran and Gunal Kursun were accused of assisting it.
"Taner was sentenced for 6 years and 3 months. Idil, Ozlem and Gunal were all convicted for 25 months for assisting a terrorist organisation," Amnesty International said in a statement.
There have been no detention orders issued for the four convicted and they will not be jailed pending their appeals, the rights pressure group said, but the appeals process could take years.
Andrew Gardner, Amnesty International's Turkey researcher who observed the hearing, said Turkey was punishing activists for standing up for human rights. He argued that the three-year trial was a "politically motivated attempt to silence independent voices."
Thousands of activists, journalists, academics, public employees and members of the military were detained or dismissed in the years after the 2016 coup attempt for being allegedly tied to what Ankara claims is an illegal network run by exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen to depose his former ally, President Tayyip Erdogan.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Tennis: ATP Barcelona Open results - 1st update
Swiatek's perfect 10 in Stuttgart as Vondrousova stuns Sabalenka
Arandu's roads closed due to flooding
Oil tanker catches fire in Islamabad’s Blue Area
Pakistan committed to ensure safety of foreign nationals: FO
Tennis: WTA Stuttgart results - 1st update
Four passengers injured as train hit an empty vehicle
Over- speeding bus crushed to death two bike riders
Turkey's Freedom Flotilla ready to set sail for Gaza
French teen dies from heart failure after knife attack near school
Iranians appear unfazed by Isfahan blasts
UAF celebrates Int'l Chinese Language Day
More Stories From World
-
Togo lawmakers approve contested political reform
6 hours ago -
NATO must choose 'whether we indeed are allies': Zelensky
6 hours ago -
US House to vote on Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan aid package
6 hours ago -
Calls for calm after reported Israeli strike on Iran
7 hours ago -
IMF calls on EU to deepen single market integration to boost growth
7 hours ago -
Second Ecuadoran mayor killed ahead of anti-crime referendum: police
7 hours ago
-
Oil, gas drilling blocked in Alaska wilds as Biden seeks green cred
8 hours ago -
Man sets self on fire outside Trump trial
8 hours ago -
Turkey's Freedom Flotilla ready to set sail for Gaza
9 hours ago -
French teen dies from heart failure after knife attack near school
9 hours ago -
Iranians appear unfazed by Isfahan blasts
9 hours ago -
Ecuador mayor killed ahead of anti-crime referendum: police
10 hours ago