TURKEY: Court ‘reverses release’ of Amnesty head Taner Kilic

A Turkish court has reversed its decision to release from detention the local head of human rights group Amnesty International, the group says. Detained in June, Taner Kilic has been charged with membership of a terrorist organisation, which he denies. London-based Amnesty says the decision is a “travesty of justice”. It has called the accusations […]

A Turkish court has reversed its decision to release from detention the local head of human rights group Amnesty International, the group says.

Detained in June, Taner Kilic has been charged with membership of a terrorist organisation, which he denies.

London-based Amnesty says the decision is a “travesty of justice”. It has called the accusations “baseless”.

During a hearing on Wednesday, the court in Istanbul ordered the conditional release of Mr Kilic from a prison in western Izmir province.

A prosecutor appealed against the decision, Amnesty said, and a second court accepted it. On Thursday, the first court accepted the second court’s decision to continue his detention.

“This is the latest example of the crisis in Turkey’s justice system that is ruining lives and hollowing out the right to a fair trial,” Amnesty’s Secretary General Salil Shetty said in a statement.

“To have been granted release only to have the door to freedom so callously slammed in his face is devastating for Taner, his family and all who stand for justice in Turkey.”