A Turkish court ordered the release of an imprisoned Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) parliamentarian on Sept. 7, according to an HDP statement. Ayhan Bilgen is the former speaker of the HDP and had been jailed over allegations of terrorism. The release follows a "Conscience and Justice Watch" at the Constitutional Court building to demand action for those unjustly and unlawfully imprisoned. The current Turkish government has removed and arrested more than 150,000 people after a failed coup last year.
From Jurist, Sept. 8. Used with permission.
Note: Several HDP leaders arrested as part of the post-coup crackdown remain imprisoned.
HDP
WSJ reporter sentenced to prison in Turkey
A Turkish court on Oct. 10 sentenced Wall Street Journal reporter Ayla Albayrak in absentia to 25 months in prison on propaganda charges. The conviction was based on Albayrak's 2015 story "Urban Warfare Escalates in Turkey's Kurdish-Majority Southeast." which Turkish authorities claimed was a violation ofthe country's Anti-Terror Law. (Jurist)
On Oct. 12, Human Rights Watch issued a report, "In Custody: Police Torture and Abductions in Turkey," finding that those accused of links with terrorism or the 2016 attempted coup attempt in Turkey have been tortured in police custody, while others have been illegally detained.
Turkish court releases Amnesty International activists on bail
Turkey's 35th Heavy Penal Court in Istanbul on Oct. 25 released eight of the 11 detained Amnesty International activists on bail pending trial for charges related to assisting the terrorist organization Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). (Jurist)
Turkish court orders re-arrest of Amnesty chair
An Istanbul court on Feb. 1 ordered the rearrest of Taner Kılıç, the chairman of the Turkish Chapter of Amnesty International, hours after he was released. (Jurist)
Head of Amnesty International in Turkey released —again
The chair of Amnesty International Turkey, Taner Kilic, has been released after 14 months in prison. Kilic was previously released in February, but Turkish police detained him again just hours later. Kilic was arrested underTurkey's anti-terrorism laws for allegedly being a part of the so-called Gulen movement. (Jurist, Aug. 17)
Turkish court overturns convictions of four rights activists
The Turkish Court of Cassation on Nov. 22 overturned convictions against four human rights defenders including honorary hhair of Amnesty International Turkey, Taner Kılıç. All four were formerly charged with terrorism-related offenses. (Jurist)