A Turkish court on Friday convicted four human rights activists on terrorism charges. Among those convicted was Taner Kilic, a former chair of Amnesty International, an organization that fights for human rights.
The prosecution argued that the four activists were actually members or assistants of the Fethullah Gülen terrorist organization. However, concerns have arisen about Turkey’s treatment of human rights defenders as a result of the trial.
“It is tragic to see the part the Turkish justice system has played and continues to play in criminalizing the act of standing up for human rights,” stated Andrew Gardner, Amnesty International’s senior Turkey researcher.
