Press Release
Brussels, 21 March 2019
Following the 7th hearing in the trial against the “Istanbul 10”, EuroMed Rights reiterates its solidarity with independent civil society in Turkey. Civil Society is constantly subjected to judicial harassment, including arbitrary detention, due to its work on promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms in Turkey.
The lack of enforcement of human rights encourages a climate of impunity and repression in contravention of the international covenants on human rights and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), both of which Turkey is party to.
EuroMed Rights therefore calls on the Turkish authorities to:
- ensure protection of human rights defenders irrespective of ethnicity, language and religion;
- fully comply with international human rights obligations and secure the rights enshrined in the ECHR, as stressed in article 1 ECHR;
- guarantee to all the defendants their right to a fair trial, as stated by article 6 ECHR.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
On Thursday 21 March, the trial against the “Istanbul 10” and Taner Kılıç, Amnesty International Turkey honorary chair, has resumed at Istabul’s Cağlayan Courthouse. Among them are Nalan Erkem and Özlem Dalkıran, representatives of EuroMed Rights’ member organisation Citizens’ Assembly ((h)Ca).
Check Turkish version here