US calls for release of rights activists arrested in Istanbul

WASHINGTON

The U.S. has called on Turkey to release six human rights activists, including Amnesty International’s Turkey director, who were arrested for aiding a terror group on July 17.

“You may have seen what took place in Turkey in recent days and the United States strongly condemns the arrest of six respected human rights activists and calls for their immediate release. This includes Amnesty International’s director in Turkey, Idil Eser and several foreign nationals,” State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert told a daily press briefing on July 18.

“Prosecutions like these with little evidence or transparency undermine Turkey’s rule of law and the country’s obligations to respect individual rights. We urge Turkish authorities to drop the charges, release those who have been detained and remove the provisions of the state of emergency that allow indiscriminate prosecution of individuals. So, we will continue to keep an eye on that,” she said.

Eser and seven other activists and two foreign trainers were detained on July 5 during a digital security and information management workshop in Istanbul’s Büyükada Island.

A court in Istanbul had ordered the arrest of the six activists while the other four were released on judicial control and banned from traveling abroad.