Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #freerightsdefenders

Most recents (8)

1/. Two months after the prominent human rights defender Osman Kavala began a life sentence on trumped up charges alongside 6 others jailed for 18 years each for ‘assisting’ him, a high level @amnesty delegation will visit all 7

We’ll hold a press conference tmw 1pm #Turkey time ImageImageImageImage
2/. “What’s happening is entirely contrary to human rights”

In 2014, @amnesty interviewed architect @MucellaYapici while she was facing her first prosecution for the 2013 #GeziPark protests in Turkey

Today, her words are even more poignant
#FreeTheGezi7
4/. In 4 hours @aforgut’s press conference will start in Istanbul

There will be an important announcement

Ystdy, messages of solidarity from @amnesty’s Secretary General @AgnesCallamard’s were delivered to the #Gezi7 in prison

More detail to come
#FreeTheGezi7 #GeziİçinAdalet Image
Read 9 tweets
1/. "They came expecting a verdict...hoping for justice"

Amnesty Turkey's ex-chair, #TanerKilic has been awaiting justice for almost 4yrs

We found out the verdict in his case could be given soon

If his conviction is confirmed he’ll be sent back to jail.
2/. “We’re responsible not only for what we say but what we fail to say by staying silent"

Absurdly, #TanerKilic has already spent more than a year behind bars

In 2018, @snowden was one of two million people who demanded his release
#FreeRightsDefenders
3/. “It feels like a bad dream from which I can’t to wake up”

I met Gulhnihal, #TanerKilic’s daughter, outside the Istanbul courtroom where her father was convicted - without evidence - of “membership of a terrorist organisation”

The nightmare continues.
Read 4 tweets
Two weeks ago, President #Erdogan announced a Human Rights Action Plan

One of the people the Ministry of Justice had consulted about the Action Plan was the president of the Human Rights Association, Öztürk Türkdoğan

This morning, Türkdoğan was arrested. #Turkey #HumanRights
“The detention of Öztürk Türkdoğan is outrageous. With ink barely dry on 128-page Human Rights Action Plan announced by Pres Erdoğan two weeks ago, his arrest reveals this document isn't worth the paper it's written on" @amnesty #ÖztürkTürkdoğan #Turkey amnesty.org/en/latest/news…
"#ÖztürkTürkdoğan must be immediately & unconditionally released" @amnesty

His arrest makes a mockery of #Turkey’s hollow attempts to improve its image on human rights

The criminalisation of human rights defenders & of the Human Rights Association must end
#FreeRightsDefenders Image
Read 4 tweets
1/. The ordeal continues

A Turkish court has upheld the unjust convictions of four human rights defenders, including my former @amnesty #Turkey colleagues, Taner Kilic & Idil Eser

When human rights defenders are silenced, ALL our rights are put at risk.
2/. They were arrested almost 3 years ago with seven other human rights activists

Between them, they spent 1,158 days in pretrial detention

More than 2 million people around the world have demanded justice but truth & justice have become strangers in Turkey #FreeRightsDefenders
3/. “We are responsible not only for what we say but what we fail to say by staying silent." A. Nesin

At times of greater repression, the job of human rights activists becomes more vital...& also more dangerous

In 2018, @Snowden called for their release.
Read 4 tweets
#BREAKING: Awful news from Turkey.

Despite a shred of evidence Taner Kılıç, Amnesty Turkey's honorary Chair, has been convicted for membership of a terrorist organization. Özlem and Günal convicted for assisting.

We will appeal & we won’t give up until all are acquitted.
"It feels like a bad dream from which I'm waiting to wake up."

This was Gulhnihal, the daughter of #TanerKilic, when I met her in January 2018.

Today her father was convicted of “membership of a terrorist organisation”. The nightmare continues.
"From the start, this has been a politically-motivated trial aiming to silence those in the dock & send a message to the rest of society: fight for human rights or speak the truth at your peril.” Idil Eser ex-@aforgutu Director. By @amnesty Nils Muiznieks. euronews.com/2020/07/03/as-…
Read 9 tweets
1/. In February, I was in #Turkey for the verdict in the trial of 2 of my ex-@amnesty colleagues & 9 other human rights defenders, who face up to 15 years in jail on absurd
charges. But the verdict was postponed.

Next Friday, they will be back in court.
2/. Due to COVID, we won’t be there next week, but others will.

It’s no coincidence that as human rights violations in a country increase, so do the attacks on those people who defend them.

In times of repression, their becomes more vital than ever: more vital & more dangerous. Image
3/. Join @amnesty on 3 July & all this week as we COUNTDOWN TO JUSTICE & demand their acquittal

11 human rights activists

1158 days in pretrial detention

2.5 years since arrests

2m people demand for justice

7 days ‘til the verdict
#FreeRightsDefenders
Read 16 tweets
Next month we will mark the 1st anniversary of the imprisonment of @Amnesty's #TanerKilic. He is being held on absurd "terrorism" charges.

For more than 5 decades, Amnesty has campaigned to free prisoners of conscience in #Turkey. Including writers, politicians etc. #FreeTaner
In 1964, #Turkey's former president, Celal Bayar, wrote to @amnesty from jail to thank us for campaigning for his release.

Next month we will mark a year in prison for Amnesty Turkey's honorary chair #TanerKilic. #FreeTaner #FreeRightsDefenders
“We will be free together
We will struggle together
We will win together.”
Politician, author & sociologist, Behice Boran, was an @Amnesty Prisoner of Conscience in #Turkey in 1973. Today Amnesty #Turkey's honorary chair has been in jail for almost a year. #FreeTaner #TanerKilic
Read 9 tweets
1/10. "The Joy of Freedom". The #Istanbul10 were released in early hours of Thursday morning after 113 days in jail. Where are they now?
2/10. Günal Kurşun is back with his family. Before he was jailed, Günal had never heard his son say his newest word: "Daddy" #Istanbul10
3/10. İdil Eser is back in her Istanbul flat with her cats Misha, Sasha and Kiki. They were very pleased to see her amnesty.org/en/latest/news…
Read 11 tweets

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