European Court of Human Rights ruled that Turkey’s pre-trial detention of human rights defender Taner Kılıç was unlawful and arbitrary
On 23 March 2021, the Constitutional Court of Turkey found the pre-trial detention of woman human rights defender Özlem Dalkiran from July to October 2017 to be unlawful, and ruled that her right to personal liberty and security, provided for under Article 19/3 of the Constitution, had been violated. The Court ruled that the woman human rights defender be granted 40,000 TL (approx. €4,300) in compensation, for non-pecuniary damages. Özlem Dalkiran is currently on trial in a case publicly known as the Büyükada case, or the Istanbul10.
On 26 November 2020, the 3rd Penal Chamber of the Istanbul Regional Appeals Court unanimously upheld the verdict in the a case publicly known as the Büyükada Case or the #Istanbul10 case.
On 3 July 2020, the Istanbul 35th High Criminal Court handed down its ruling in the case of eleven human rights defenders who had been on trial since 25 October 2017. The court sentenced Taner Kılıç to 6 years 3 months imprisonment for “membership of an armed terrorist organisation” while Günal Kurşun, İdil Eser and Özlem Dalkıran were sentenced to 1 year 13 months (sic) imprisonment for “aiding an armed terrorist organisation knowingly and willingly”. The organisation in question was named by the Turkish government as the Fethullahist Terrorist Organisation/Parallel State Structure (FETO/PDY).
On 27 November 2019, the prosecutor requested convictions of Taner Kılıç for ‘membership of a terrorist organisation’ and of İdil Eser, Özlem Dalkıran, Günal Kurşun, Veli Acu and Nejat Taştan for ‘assisting a terrorist organisation without being its member’.
On 15 August 2018, Taner Kılıç was released upon the decision of Istanbul’s 35th High Criminal Court, rendered following its regular monthly case review. He was in detention for over 14 months.
On 22 November 2017, the second hearing of the human rights defenders known as the Istanbul 10 along with Amnesty International’s Turkey Section Chair Taner Kılıç, concluded in the Istanbul 35th High Criminal Court.
The Court lifted the travel bans on Özlem Dalkıran, Nejat Taştan and Şeyhmus Özbekli which were imposed on 25 October 2017, but ordered that Taner Kılıç remain in detention. The third hearing will be on 31 January 2018.
Nalan Erkem and Ozlem Dalkiran are members of Citizens' Assembly, an organisation promoting peace, democracy and civil society throughout Europe. Idil Eser is the director of Amnesty International Turkey. Veli Acu and Günal Kursun work for the Human Rights Agenda Association, monitoring human rights violations throughout the country. Ilknur Ustun is a member of the Women’s Coalition, which focuses on gender equality and enhanced female participation in public life. Nejat Tastan is coordinator at the Association for Monitoring Equal Rights, an NGO promoting equality and carrying out independent election observation. Seyhmus Ozbekli is a member of Rights Initiative, an organisation focusing on the rights violations and promotion of rights. Ali Gharavi and Peter Steudtner are consultants who were collaborating with the Dutch Development Agency, HIVOS, to support human rights defenders and development organisations.
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- 9 June 2022 : European Court of Human Rights ruled that Turkey’s pre-trial detention of human rights defender Taner Kılıç was unlawful and arbitrary
- 26 March 2021 : Constitutional Court rules in favour of Özlem Dalkiran in Istanbul10 case
- 3 December 2020 : Sentences of four human rights defenders in Buyukada case upheld by Regional Appeals Court
- 8 July 2020 : Four human rights defenders sentenced, seven acquitted in Büyükada case
- 24 January 2020 : 10th hearing of the Istanbul 10
- 16 August 2018 : Taner Kılıç released
- 5 February 2018 : Taner Kılıç re-arrested
- 22 November 2017 : Second hearing of the Istanbul 10 and Taner Kılıç concludes
- 25 October 2017 : Court Orders Release of HRDs
- 24 October 2017 : Istanbul High Criminal Court accepts indictment against Istanbul 10 and Taner Kılıç
- 18 July 2017 : Ten HRDs charged with "aiding armed terrorist organisation", six in pre-trial detention
- 11 July 2017 : Detention of human rights defenders extended for seven more days
- 6 July 2017 : Detentions Extended
- 5 July 2017 : Turkey: Detention of ten human rights defenders
On 31 May 2022, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg ruled that Turkey’s pre-trial detention of human rights defender Taner Kılıç was unlawful and arbitrary. The ECHR held that Turkey had violated Taner Kılıç’s rights to liberty, security (Article 5.1, 5.3 and 5.5) and freedom of expression (Article 10). The court ruled that the human rights defender’s subsequent conviction was directly linked to his activity as a human rights defender. Moreover, the ECHR stated that the original detention took place even though there was ‘no reasonable suspicion’ that Taner Kılıç had committed an offence. Turkey is ordered to pay €24,500 in damages and €10,000 in costs to the victim.
Taner Kılıç filed a complaint to the ECHR about his initial placement in pre-trial detention and its continuation for more than 14 months; he argued that there had been no reasonable grounds for suspecting him of having committed a criminal offence. The human rights defender considered that his initial and continued pre-trial detention had breached his right to freedom of expression.
On 6 June 2017, Taner Kılıç was arrested on suspicion of membership of a group which is named by the Turkish government as Fethullahist Terrorist Organisation/Parallel State Structure (FETO/PDY). On 9 June 2017, the human rights defender was brought before the İzmir 3rd Magistrate’s Court which decided to place him in pre-trial detention. The human rights defender was then added to the indictment of the Buyukada case, where 10 human rights defenders were arrested during the workshop they were attending on 5 July 2017, when Taner Kılıç was already in jail. These human right defenders have come to be known as the Istanbul 10.
On 31 January 2018, Istanbul’s 35th High Criminal Court ordered Taner Kılıç’s release. However, Istanbul’s 36th High Criminal Court revoked this order and a day later the human rights defender was arrested and placed in pre-trial detention. On 15 August 2018, Taner Kılıç was released from pre-trial detention upon the decision of Istanbul’s 35th High Criminal Court. The human rights defender was in detention for over 14 months in total.
On 3 July 2020, Istanbul’s 35th High Criminal Court handed down its ruling in the case of the eleven human rights defenders who had been on trial since 25 October 2017. The court sentenced Taner Kılıç to six years and three months imprisonment for “membership of an armed terrorist organisation.” An appeal of the verdict is currently pending at the Court of Cassation.
Front Line Defenders welcomes the European Court of Human Rights’ ruling. Front Line Defenders urges the Turkish authorities to immediately and unconditionally drop the unjust and baseless convictions against Taner Kılıç and the three other Bayukada case human rights defenders. Front Line Defenders believes that the charges are fabricated and politically motivated in an attempt to silence the human rights defender. Front Line Defenders is gravely concerned by the authorities’ wider crackdown on rights and freedoms and those who defend them.
On 23 March 2021, the Constitutional Court of Turkey found the pre-trial detention of woman human rights defender Özlem Dalkiran from July to October 2017 to be unlawful, and ruled that her right to personal liberty and security, provided for under Article 19/3 of the Constitution, had been violated. The Court ruled that the woman human rights defender be granted 40,000 TL (approx. €4,300) in compensation, for non-pecuniary damages. Özlem Dalkiran is currently on trial in a case publicly known as the Büyükada case, or the Istanbul10.
The ruling also made reference to details of the facts in the Büyükada case, which is still awaiting a decision by the Court of Cassation. Referring to the argument made by the prosecution that the meeting during which the 10 human rights defenders were arrested was covert, the Court stated that “there was no evidence to support the claim that the meeting was secret” and “even if it was so, it would not constitute a crime in itself”. It also stated that the prosecution did not sufficiently inquire as to why Özlem Dalkiran’s WhatsApp message, asking the other human rights defenders attending the meeting to turn off their digital devices until they arrived at the hotel, was considered a crime.
Following the examination of the allegations against Özlem Dalkiran, the Court argued in its ruling that the claims made by the prosecution against the woman human rights defender were lacking in substantiating evidence, and that her defence against the allegations was not sufficiently refuted. In its ruling the Court stated, “According to the applicant's defence and the scope of the file, it has been concluded that a strong indication regarding the committal of the crime necessary for the imprisonment in the concrete case was not sufficiently put forward".
The Constitutional Court also examined Özlem Dalkıran's allegation that the detention was unlawful and that the reasonable period of police custody lapsed, which constituted a violation of her right to personal liberty and security. The Court found this application inadmissible on the grounds that not all legal remedies have been exhausted. Additionally, the alleged violations of right to a free trial, presumption of innocence and the right to dignity and respect were also found inadmissible by the Court.
On 26 November 2020, the 3rd Penal Chamber of the Istanbul Regional Appeals Court unanimously upheld the verdict in the a case publicly known as the Büyükada Case or the #Istanbul10 case. Human rights defenders Günal Kurşun, İdil Eser, Özlem Dalkıran and Taner Kılıç had appealed against their sentences, while the trial prosecutor appealed against the acquittals of defenders Nejat Taştan and Veli Acu. In its two and a half page ruling, the court stated that the decision of the first instance court was lawful, that there has been no failure or insufficiency in the procedures and evidence, and the sentences given were appropriate and in line with legislation. The four defenders will appeal the decision at the Supreme Court.
On 3 July 2020, the first instance court gave its ruling on the three-year long trial, acquitting human rights defenders Ali Gharavi, İlknur Üstün, Nalan Erkem, Nejat Taştan, Peter Steudtner, Şeyhmus Özbekli and Veli Acu, while sentencing Günal Kursun, İdil Eser and Ozlem Dalkıran to 25 months with the charge of “knowingly aiding and abetting to a terrorist organisation” and Taner Kılıç to six year and a half months for “membership of a terrorist organisation”.
The decision was not unanimous. One of the three judges on the panel opposed the verdict, saying that all four defendants should have been acquitted as the accusations against them were not substantiated. He argued that the prosecution did not present any evidence that would discredit the defence statements of the accused.
Front Line Defenders condemns the decision of the Appeals Court to uphold the convictions which are based on fabricated and unfounded evidence and on a trial which lacked due process. It will continue to follow the case closely with the expectation that the Supreme Court delivers the justice the human rights defenders have been deprived of for more than three years of prosecution. Front Line Defenders repeats its call on the Turkish government to stop the persecution of human rights defenders, civil society and journalists.
On 3 July 2020, the Istanbul 35th High Criminal Court handed down its ruling in the case of eleven human rights defenders who had been on trial since 25 October 2017. The court sentenced Taner Kılıç to 6 years 3 months imprisonment for “membership of an armed terrorist organisation” while Günal Kurşun, İdil Eser and Özlem Dalkıran were sentenced to 1 year 13 months (sic) imprisonment for “aiding an armed terrorist organisation knowingly and willingly”. The organisation in question was named by the Turkish government as the Fethullahist Terrorist Organisation/Parallel State Structure (FETO/PDY).
The court acquitted Ali Gharavi, İlknur Üstün, Nalan Erkem, Peter Steudtner and Şeyhmus Özbekli. Veli Acu and Nejat Tastan were also acquitted, against a request from the prosecutor.
The decision did not come unanimously. One of the three judges of the panel opposed the verdict, saying that all four defendants should have been acquitted as the accusations against them were not substantiated. He is expected to detail his dissenting opinion in the justified verdict. The four human rights defenders will appeal the ruling.
The judgement came three years after the arrest of 10 human rights defenders during a workshop in Buyukada, Istanbul and seven months after the prosecutor submitted his final assessment, requesting the conviction of six human rights defenders.
During the previous hearing held on 19 February 2020, the court had adjourned the hearing after permitting only six of eleven defenders to present their statements. The next hearing was set to take place on 3 April 2020 but then postponed to 3 July due to the pandemic restrictions. During the final hearing, the remaining four human rights defenders presented their final statements
All human rights defenders and lawyers reminded the court that all allegations against the defenders were unverified and discredited by both forensic experts and through evidence presented by the defence which were ignored by the prosecution.
In their statements, the human rights defenders referred to the regional and international standards for the protection of human rights defenders and said that the “Buyukada trial is a clear warning to civil society saying that working for justice, human rights and freedoms are not welcome and will not be tolerated.”
Front Line Defenders condemns the convictions which are based on fabricated and unfounded evidence and a trial lacking due process. It calls on the Turkish government to stop the persecution of human rights defenders, civil society and journalists.
On 27 November 2019, the prosecutor requested convictions of Taner Kılıç for ‘membership of a terrorist organisation’ and of İdil Eser, Özlem Dalkıran, Günal Kurşun, Veli Acu and Nejat Taştan for ‘assisting a terrorist organisation without being its member’. He asked for the acquittals of Ali Gharavi, Peter Steudtner, Nalan Erkem, İlknur Üstün and Şeyhmus Özbekli. The prosecutor's final opinion is a duplication of the original indictment. It ignores evidence submitted to the court by defence lawyers and the testimonies of witnesses.
The next hearing, during which the court is expected to hand down its ruling for the 11 human rights defenders will take place on 19 February 2020.
On 15 August 2018, Taner Kılıç was released upon the decision of Istanbul’s 35th High Criminal Court, rendered following its regular monthly case review. He was in detention for over 14 months. Taner Kılıç, alongside ten other human rights defenders, face charges of “membership of an armed terrorist organization,” and, if found guilty, faces up to 15 years in prison. The criminal proceedings remain ongoing, and Taner Kılıç was given a travel ban.
The human rights defender was arrested on 6 June 2017. On 31 January 2018, Istanbul’s 35th High Criminal Court ordered his release; however, this order was revoked by the Istanbul’s 36th High Criminal Court before he was released. The charges against Taner Kılıç are based on the testimony of an anonymous witness, who stated - during the hearing on 21 June 2018 - that he overheard allegedly incriminating conversations. The charges are also based on the alleged downloading of a secure messaging app called ByLock and the fact that he opened an account with Bank Asya, which the authorities consider to be linked to the Gülen movement. During the same hearing of 21 June, a second police report was submitted confirming the findings of the first report and those of four independent forensic analyses, all of which found no trace of ByLock on Taner Kılıç’s phone. Despite the lack of reliable evidence supporting his detention, the court refused to release him at that time.
While Front Line Defenders welcomes the release of Taner Kılıç, it condemns the false charges against him and the ten other human rights defenders who have come to be known as the ‘Istanbul 10’. It urges the authorities in Turkey to immediately and unconditionally drop all charges against Taner Kılıç and the Istanbul 10 as it is believed that they are solely motivated by their legitimate and peaceful work in the defence of human rights.
On 31 January 2018, Istanbul’s 35th High Criminal Court ordered the release of Taner Kılıç, the Section Chair of Amnesty International Turkey. The prosecutor then lodged an appeal to contest this decision and on 1 February 2018, Taner Kılıç was arrested and placed in pre-trial detention ahead of the next hearing of his case which is scheduled to take place on 21 June 2018.
On 31 January 2018, the third hearing of the human rights defenders known as the Istanbul 10, along with Amnesty International’s Turkey Section Chair, Taner Kılıç, concluded in Istanbul’s 35th High Criminal Court.
The Court ordered the release of Taner Kılıç under travel ban and exempted the Istanbul 10 from attending future hearings. The next hearing was scheduled to take place on 21 June 2018. However, the prosecutor appealed the Court’s decision to the superior Istanbul 36th High Criminal Court which then issued an arrest warrant for Taner Kılıç. He was taken into custody and transferred from prison to gendarmerie custody.
On 1 February 2018, Taner Kılıç appeared in court in İzmir, Aliağa and was connected via video link to Istanbul’s 35th High Criminal Court which accepted the decision of Istanbul’s 36th High Criminal Court and ordered that Taner Kılıç remain in detention.
Front Line Defenders strongly condemns the re-arrest and detention of Taner Kılıç as it believes that the charges against him are solely linked to his legitimate and peaceful work in defense of human rights in Turkey.
On 22 November 2017, the second hearing of the human rights defenders known as the Istanbul 10 along with Amnesty International’s Turkey Section Chair Taner Kılıç, concluded in the Istanbul 35th High Criminal Court.
The Court lifted the travel bans on Özlem Dalkıran, Nejat Taştan and Şeyhmus Özbekli which were imposed on 25 October 2017, but ordered that Taner Kılıç remain in detention. The third hearing will be on 31 January 2018.
The trial began at 10:00 am with a statement from Taner Kılıç via video link from Şakran Prison in İzmir where he is detained. This was followed by statements from Nejat Taştan from the Association for Monitoring Equal Rights and Şeyhmus Özbekli from Rights Initiative. All defence lawyers called for their clients’ acquittal and for their bail conditions to be lifted.
On 25 October 2017, the human rights defenders were released following more than 100 days in detention. Ozlem Dalkiran and Veli Acu were given a travel ban.
Previously, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office charged ten human rights defenders, known as the Istanbul 10, with support “of an armed terrorist organisation” and charged Taner Kılıç, Amnesty International’s Turkey Section Chair, with membership of an “armed terrorist organisation”. If found guilty of these charges, the human rights defenders faced between 7.5 and 15 years in prison.
For more information: Istanbul 10 released pending trial hearing
On 16 October 2017, the Istanbul 35th High Criminal Court accepted the bill of indictment issued by the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office against the Istanbul 10 and Taner Kılıç.
On 8 October 2017, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office charged ten human rights defenders, known as the Istanbul 10, with support “of an armed terrorist organisation” and charged Taner Kılıç, Amnesty International’s Turkey Section Chair, with membership of an “armed terrorist organisation”. The indictment against the Istanbul 10 says that if found guilty of these charges the human rights defenders face between 7.5 and 15 years in prison.
The first hearing is scheduled on 25 October 2017.
On 18 July 2017, Nalan Erkem, Seyhmus Ozbekli, Ozlem Dalkiran, Idil Eser, Veli Acu, Gunal Kursun, Ilknur Ustun, Nejat Tastan, Ali Gharavi and Peter Steudtner were charged with "aiding an armed terrorist organisation". Six of the human rights defenders, including Ozlem Dalkiran, Idil Eser, Veli Acu, Gunal Kursun, Ali Gharavi and Peter Steudtner are being kept in pre-trial detention while Nalan Erkem, Seyhmuz Ozbekli, Ilknur Ustun, Nejat Tastan have been released but are under a travel ban and other judicial restrictions. Ozlem Dalkiran and Idil Eser are being held in Bakirkoy prison, Ali Gharavi and Peter Steudtner in Maltepe prison and Veli Acu and Gunal Kursun in Metris prison of Istanbul.
Nalan Erkem, Seyhmuz Ozbekli and Ozlem Dalkiran all work for the Citizens’ Assembly, an organisation promoting peace, democracy and civil society throughout Europe. Idil Eser is the Director of Amnesty International Turkey. Veli Acu and Günal Kursun work for the Human Rights Agenda Association, monitoring human rights violations throughout the country. Ilknur Ustun is a member of the Women’s Coalition, which focuses on gender equality and enhanced female participation in public life. Nejat Tastan is coordinator at the Association for Monitoring Equal Rights, an NGO promoting equality and carrying out independent election observation. Ali Gharavi and Peter Steudtner are respectively Swedish and German consultants who were collaborating with the Dutch Development Agency, HIVOS, to support human rights defenders and development organisations.
On 17 July 2017, all of the human rights defenders were interviewed by public prosecutors at the Judicial Palace in Istanbul, following 12 days of detention without charges. Around 10:00pm the same day, it was revealed that the public prosecutor would request detention for all ten of the human rights defenders. In the early morning of 18 July 2017 the judge ordered the pre-trial detention for six of the human rights defenders, as "there was a strong suspicion that the detainees committed the crime" and because of "possibility of escape". Although the court decision does not refer to any specific articles of the Criminal Code, it mentions the charges of “aiding an armed terrorist organisation”, which could relate to Article 220.7, which states that (official translation) "Any person who knowingly and willingly helps an organized criminal group although not takes place within the hierarchic structure of the group, is punished as if he is a member of the organized group" and to Article 220.3 (official translation)"in case the organized criminal group is equipped with arms, the punishment to be imposed according to the above subsections is increased from one fourth to one half".
On 11 July 2017, the detention of the ten abovementioned human rights defenders was extended by seven more days by a decision of the prosecutor. The detention order referred to suspected membership of an armed terrorist organisation. During 10 and 11 July 2017, police carried out searches at the houses of the detained defenders, and reportedly seized flash and hard drives as well as other electronic equipment. Despite the undisclosed nature of the investigation, there has been a smear campaign conducted against the defenders in certain segments of Turkish media as well as amongst social media networks, equating the human rights defenders with “spies”.
On the morning of 5 July 2017, the ten human rights defenders were detained by police during a workshop on holistic security, organised by the Helsinki Citizen’s Assembly for Turkish human rights defenders. After being held incommunicado for almost 30 hours, they were allowed to contact families and see their legal counsellor.
Front Line Defenders is extremely concerned by, and condemns the charges and pre-trial detention of the aforementioned human rights defenders, as it believes that these actions are in connected with their legitimate and peaceful work in the defense of human rights.
On 11 July 2017, the detention of human rights defenders, Nalan Erkem, Seyhmus Ozbekli, Ozlem Dalkiran, Idil Eser, Veli Acu, Gunal Kursun, Ilknur Ustun, Nejat Tastan, Ali Gharavi and Peter Steudtner was extended by seven more days by a decision of the prosecutor.
Nalan Erkem, Seyhmuz Ozbekli and Ozlem Dalkiran all work for the Citizens' Assembly, an organisation promoting peace, democracy and civil society throughout Europe. Idel Eser is the director of Amnesty International Turkey. Veli Acu and Günal Kursun work for the Human Rights Agenda Association, monitoring human rights violations throughout the country. Ilknur Ustun is a member of the Women's Coalition, which focuses on gender equality and enhanced female participation in public life. Nejat Tastan is coordinator at the Association for Monitoring Equal Rights, an NGO promoting equality and carrying out independent election observation. Ali Gharavi and Peter Steudtner are Swedish and German consultants respectively who were collaborating with the Dutch Development Agency, HIVOS, to support human rights defenders and development organisations.
On 11 July 2017, the detention of human rights defenders, Nalan Erkem, Seyhmus Ozbekli, Ozlem Dalkiran, Idil Eser, Veli Acu, Gunal Kursun, Ilknur Ustun, Nejat Tastan, Ali Gharavi and Peter Steudtner was extended by seven more days by a decision of the prosecutor. The detention order refers to suspected membership of an armed terrorist organisation. Over the course of 10 and 11 July 2017, police carried out searches at the houses of the detained defenders, and reportedly seized flash and hard drives as well as other electronic equipment. Despite the undisclosed nature of the investigation, there has been a smear campaign conducted against the defenders in certain segments of Turkish media as well as amongst social media networks, equating the human rights defenders with "spies".
On the morning of 5 July 2017, the Ascot hotel on the island of Buyukada, a venue where a workshop organised by the Citizen's Assembly for Turkish human rights defenders was raided by Turkish police. The five day workshop on the topic of holistic security began on 2 July 2017. Ten human rights defenders participating in the workshop, Nalan Erkem, Seyhmus Ozbekli, Ozlem Dalkiran, Idil Eser, Veli Acu, Gunal Kursun, Ilknur Ustun, Nejat Tastan, Ali Gharavi and Peter Steudtner were detained by the police. The defenders were separated into groups of two, with the eight Turkish defenders being subsequently transferred to different police stations in Istanbul while the two foreigners remained at Buyukada police station. For over 24 hours following their arrests, the human rights defenders were not permitted to contact their families.
Front Line Defenders is extremely concerned by the arbitrary arrest and detention of the aforementioned ten human rights defenders as it believes that they have been detained in relation to their work in the defence of human rights.
On 6 July 2017, eight human rights defenders and two consultants had their detentions extended to seven days following their arrests a day earlier on Bayukada island, off the coast of Istanbul. Seven days is the maximum period of time permitted for detainees to be held without charge under Turkey’s State of Emergency. On 5 July, Nalan Erkem, Seyhmuz Ozbekli, Ozlem Dalkiran, Idil Eser, Veli Acu, Gunal Kursun, Ilknur Ustun and Nejat Tastan and were all arrested as they attended a workshop. Ali Gharavi and Peter Steudtner, two consultants in attendance at the workshop, were also detained.
On 5 July 2017, eight human rights defenders, along with two consultants, were detained on Buyukada island, off the coast of Istanbul in Turkey. Nalan Erkem, Seyhmuz Ozbekli, Ozlem Dalkiran, Idil Eser, Veli Acu, Gunal Kursun, Ilknur Ustun and Nejat Tastan were all arrested as they attended a workshop. Two consultants, Ali Gharavi and Peter Steudtner, were also detained. It is believed that Ali Gharavi and Peter Steudtner are being held in Buyukada Police Station. The whereabouts of the eight human rights defenders are currently unknown.
Download the Urgent Appeal (PDF)
Nalan Erkem, Seyhmus Ozbekli and Ozlem Dalkiran all work for the Citizens' Assembly, an organisation promoting peace, democracy and civil society throughout Europe. Idel Eser is the director of Amnesty International Turkey. Veli Acu and Günal Kursun work for the Human Rights Agenda Association, monitoring human rights violations throughout the country. Ilknur Ustun is a member of the Women’s Coalition, which focuses on gender equality and enhanced female participation in public life. Nejat Tastan is coordinator at the Association for Monitoring Equal Rights, an NGO promoting equality and carrying out independent election observation. Ali Gharavi and Peter Steudtner are consultants who were collaborating with the Dutch Development Agency, HIVOS, to support human rights defenders and development organisations.
On the morning of 5 July 2017 the Ascot hotel, a venue where a workshop organised by the Citizens' Assembly for Turkish human rights defenders on the island of Buyukada, was raided by Turkish police. All of the participants were arrested and subsequently moved to detention centres. It is believed that the two consultants, Ali Gharavi and Peter Steudtner, continue to be held incommunicado on the island of Buyukada. Lawyers have thus far been denied access to the two men. The whereabouts of the eight human rights defenders are currently unconfirmed, although it is believed that they have been moved from Buyukada to Istanbul.
Front Line Defenders is extremely concerned by the arrests of the above mentioned eight human rights defenders and two consultants as it believed that they have been detained in relation to their work in the defence of human rights.
Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Turkey to:
1. Immediately and unconditionally release Nalan Erkem, Seyhmus Ozbekli, Ozlem Dalkiran, Idil Eser, Veli Acu, Gunal Kursun, Ilknur Ustun, Nejat Tastan, Ali Gharavi and Peter Steudtner as Front Line Defenders believes that they are being held solely as a result of their legitimate and peaceful work in the defence of human rights;
2. Take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity and security of Nalan Erkem, Seyhmus Ozbekli, Ozlem Dalkiran, Idil Eser, Veli Acu, Gunal Kursun, Ilknur Ustun, Nejat Tastan, Ali Gharavi and Peter Steudtner ;
3. Ensure that the treatment of Nalan Erkem, Seyhmus Ozbekli, Ozlem Dalkiran, Idil Eser, Veli Acu, Gunal Kursun, Ilknur Ustun, Nejat Tastan, Ali Gharavi and Peter Steudtner, while in detention, adheres to the conditions set out in the ‘Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment', adopted by UN General Assembly resolution 43/173 of 9 December 1988;
4. Immediately inform the family and lawyers of Nalan Erkem, Seyhmus Ozbekli, Ozlem Dalkiran, Idil Eser, Veli Acu, Gunal Kursun, Ilknur Ustun, Nejat Tastan of the place of their detention, and allow them immediate and unfettered access to them, and permit the lawyers of Ali Gharavi and Peter Steudtner immediate and unfettered access to them.
5. Cease targeting all human rights defenders in Turkey and guarantee in all circumstances that they are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.
