On 9 June 2021, I issued a press release urging the Government of Turkey to stop using vague terrorism charges to criminalise human rights defenders. I raised serious concern in particular over the long term detention of 14 human rights defenders, one of whom, Ebru Timtik, died in custody in August 2020.
Here is what the press had to say:
Politika: Lawlor: Hak savunucuları özgürlükten mahrum (“Rights defenders deprived of liberty”)
Bianet: Hak savunucularını tutuklamak için yasaları kötüye kullanmayı bırakın (“Stop abusing the law to arrest rights defenders”)
Bianet: TİHV: BM Özel Raportörü’nün çağrısına kulak verin (“Heed the call of the UN Special Rapporteur”)