Following the arrest and detention of Ms. Idil Eser, Executive Director of Amnesty International, Turkey and nine others, including seven human rights defenders and two foreign nationals, in Büyükada, Istanbul yesterday, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr Simon Coveney TD said:
"I have just learned of the arrest and detention of Ms. Idil Eser, Executive Director of Amnesty International, Turkey along with seven other human rights defenders in Islanbul yesterday. Their arrests come less than a month after the arrest of Mr. Taner Kiliç Chair of Amnesty International, Turkey and 22 other lawyers in Izmir in June.
While the exact circumstances of their detention remain unclear, the arrests mark a profoundly disturbing development in the ongoing trends we are seeing in Turkey in respect of human rights, democracy, rule of law and freedom of expression. Ms Eser and, indeed all those detained, must be granted access to their lawyers and full due process, including the presumption of innocence. I call on the Turkish authorities to recognise and respect the crucial role that NGOs, including Amnesty International, play in a functioning, democratic society.’’
Notes to editors:
The Executive Director of Amnesty International Turkey, Idil Eser, was arrested along with seven other human rights defenders and two trainers during a digital security and information management workshop in Büyükada, Istanbul yesterday. In addition to Idil Eser, seven human rights defenders were also detained; İlknur Üstün, Women's Coalition, Günal Kurşun , lawyer, Human Rights Agenda Association, Nalan Erkem, Lawyer, Citizens Assembly, Nejat Taştan, Equal Rights Watch Association , Özlem Dalkıran, Citizens’ Assembly, Şeyhmuz Özbekli, lawyer and Veli Acu, Human Rights Agenda Association. Two foreign trainers, a German and a Swedish national, and the hotel owner, were also detained.
The whereabouts of Idil Eser and the others detained alongside her, are currently unknown. Idil Eser and the other detainees, are understood to have been denied access to lawyers, which police are entitled to do for 24 hours, and the right to contact a family member, which must be granted immediately. Official sources have indicated that information will be made available later today ( 6 July 2017).
Mr. Taner Kiliç Chair of Amnesty International, Turkey and 22 other lawyers were arrested in Izmir on 6 June.
These arrests have been made under the State of Emergency in operation in Turkey since a failed coup attempt on 15 July 2016, which have seen some 140,000 public servants, journalists and academics dismissed, detained or arrested.