- Taner Kılıç was sentenced to 6 years 3 months for ‘membership of terrorist organisation’.
- Özlem Dalkıran, İdil Eser and Günal Kurşun were all given 25 months for ‘assisting a terrorist organisation’; all pending appeal.
Following a majority court ruling to convict Taner Kılıç (honorary Chair of Amnesty Turkey) for ‘membership of the Fethullah Gülen terrorist organisation’ and to convict Özlem Dalkıran, İdil Eser (ex-Director of Amnesty Turkey) and Günal Kurşun for ‘assisting the Fethullah Gülen terrorist organisation’, Andrew Gardner, Amnesty International’s Turkey researcher who observed the hearing said:
“Today, we have borne witness to a travesty of justice of spectacular proportions. This verdict is a crushing blow not only for Taner, Özlem, İdil and Günal and their families but for everyone who believes in justice, and human rights activism in Turkey and beyond.”
“The decision of the court is staggering. During 12 court hearings, each and every allegation has been comprehensively exposed as a baseless slur. The court’s verdict defies logic and exposes this three-year trial as the politically motivated attempt to silence independent voices it was from day one.”
“This case has been a litmus test for the Turkish justice system. As such, it is tragic to see the part it has played and continues to play in criminalising the act of standing up for human rights. We will continue to stand with our friends and colleagues as they appeal these shameful verdicts.”