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

Record ID: 903170

  • Title: Amnesty International Germany urges government to intervene in case of detained activists
  • Date: 18th July 2017
  • Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (JULY 18, 2017) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL GERMANY HEADQUARTERS AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL SIGN
  • 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: LVA0016Q8SEH3
  • 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.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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