The decision to renew the detention of Amnesty International’s Turkey Chair mere hours after a court ordered his release must be immediately reversed and Taner Kılıç set free, said Amnesty International.
“Over the last 24 hours we have borne witness to a travesty of justice of spectacular proportions. 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. This latest episode of his malicious detention has dashed the hopes of Taner and his wife and daughters who were waiting by the prison gates all day to welcome him into their arms,” said Colm O’Gorman, Executive Director of Amnesty International Ireland.
Taner’s re-detention follows a decision yesterday by the Istanbul trial court to conditionally release him from pre-trial detention. The Prosecutor appealed the court’s decision. A second court in Istanbul accepted the prosecutor’s appeal and instead of being released, Taner was taken from Izmir prison where he had been held since June, and into Gendarmerie custody. It is now up to the trial court to either renew its decision to release Taner or accept the other 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. By riding roughshod over justice and ignoring the overwhelming evidence of his innocence, his re-detention only deepens our resolve to continue to fight on Taner’s case. One million voices have already called for his release. He should never have been arrested, and we will not rest until he is free,” said Colm O’Gorman.
The next court hearing has been set for 21 June, 2018.