Amnesty International Germany urges government to intervene in case of detained activists

Record ID: 903168

  • Title: Amnesty International Germany urges government to intervene in case of detained activists
  • Date: 18th July 2017
  • Summary: TURKEY EXPERT AT AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL GERMANY, MARIE LUCAS, ARRIVING FOR INTERVIEW SOUNDBITE (German) TURKEY EXPERT AT AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL GERMANY, MARIE LUCAS, SAYING: "At the moment our colleagues find themselves in pre-trial detention, along with other human rights activists. We know they're currently well in the circumstances and haven't been mistreated, which is certainly a danger in Turkey. But the prospect of them having to spend several months in detention is depressing. They have only limited contact with their families and face the prospect of a trial with an uncertain outcome." LUCAS TALKING SOUNDBITE (German) TURKEY EXPERT AT AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL GERMANY, MARIE LUCAS, SAYING: "We call on the international community to react and make clear that the detention of members of an international human rights organisation is unacceptable. We also call on the German government, both through public statements and political pressure, to work towards the release of our colleagues and other imprisoned human rights activists, and above all, to ensure that such cases aren't repeated." VARIOUS OF LUCAS SOUNDBITE (German) TURKEY EXPERT AT AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL GERMANY, MARIE LUCAS, SAYING: "It isn't very reassuring that those who are standing up for better human rights protections and helping others with their rights in Turkey have been imprisoned. All in all, that is a bad sign of how things are developing in Turkey." AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL LOGO VARIOUS OF WALL DISPLAY SHOWING HOW LONG ESER AND KILIC HAVE BEEN IN PRISON PARTNER OF DETAINED GERMAN ACTIVIST PETER STEUDTNER, MAGDALENA FREUDENSCHUSS, TALKING ON PHONE PEOPLE IN PARK FREUDENSCHUSS ARRIVING FOR INTERVIEW SOUNDBITE (English) PARTNER OF DETAINED GERMAN ACTIVIST PETER STEUDTNER, MAGDALENA FREUDENSCHUSS, SAYING: "Actually it's quite absurd, because the charities brought up, and also what is discussed in media at the moment, that it doesn't fit at all with what Peter, Ali Garavi and the other human rights defenders stand for with their work and with their life. They stand for peaceful engagement for human rights. They stand for non-violence and not for the allegations brought up." FREUDENSCHUSS ON PHONE SOUNDBITE (English) PARTNER OF DETAINED GERMAN ACTIVIST PETER STEUDTNER, MAGDALENA FREUDENSCHUSS, SAYING: "He didn't have any special relations with Turkey. He's no Turkey expert at all. What he's doing is supporting and working with human rights organisations in order to support them in what they need to do their work. And what they need often relates to how to manage their digital devices, how to structure their communication, how also to take care for themselves and their own well-being. So this is also what the seminar has been about, about IT management and well-being." PEOPLE IN PARK
  • Embargoed: 1st August 2017 18:50
  • Keywords: Amnesty International Turkey activists in custody Idil Eser Peter Steutdner partner Magdalena Freudenschuss
  • Location: BERLIN, GERMANY
  • City: BERLIN, GERMANY
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA0036Q8SEH3
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Amnesty International's Germany branch has urged the German government to intervene after the organisation's Turkey director and five other activists were remanded in custody in Ankara on Monday (July 17), accused of belonging to a terrorist organisation.
    Idil Eser, local director of the London-based organisation, was one of a group of activists including a German and a Swedish national detained on July 5 while attending a workshop on digital security and information management near Istanbul.
    Turkey's state prosecutor had asked the court to remand all ten in custody pending trial on charges of membership of a terrorist organisation.
    45-year-old Peter Steudtner was the German national detained. He was working as a trainer at the workshop. Steudtner's partner, Magdalena Freudenschuss, called his detention absurd, saying he stood for peaceful engagement and non-violence.
    The court ordered four of the activists be released, Hurriyet newspaper said. The 10 activists were detained as part of a crackdown following last July's failed coup attempt in Turkey.
    Eser's detention follows the arrest of Amnesty's Turkey chairman, Taner Kilic. He is accused of having links to the movement of Fethulla Gulen, who Turkey blames for orchestrating the failed coup.
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