After spending almost 8 months in jail on unjust charges, an Istanbul court ordered that Amnesty Turkey Chair Taner Kiliç be released on bail on January 31st. In unprecedented flip flop later that day the court overturned its decision and Taner was re-arrested and returned to detention as his friends, family and colleagues waited for him to be released. This is a cruel and disgraceful move by the Turkish government. Their continued crackdown on human rights defenders in Turkey is an affront to justice.
We need you to take action to help free Taner. Here is how you can get involved:
1. TAKE ACTION NOW
Sign and share our action demanding that Taner be released immediately and unconditionally
>>SIGN NOW
2. Organize in your community
Organise a protest outside the Turkish Consulate in your community or another public space; and share on social media using the hashtag #FreeTaner
Don’t be afraid to get creative with your public demonstrations and actions. Stencils can be created by cutting #FreeTaner out of a crazy carpet toboggan with an exacto knife, and the ‘paint’ is water with food coloring in a spray bottle.
This morning we used the cold snowy weather to send a solidarity message to @aforgutu Chair Taner Kilic. Releasing a man, and then re-arresting him is a cruel punishment, especially when no crime was commited in the first place #FreeTaner pic.twitter.com/cFj2PS9nGA
— AmnestyCanada (@AmnestyNow) February 5, 2018
3. Let`s show our support on Twitter #FreeTaner
Take photographs with your loved ones, holding hands and/or embracing with the message #FreeTaner and targeting the Turkish Minister of Justice @abdulhamitgul
Defending human rights is not a crime! @AmnestyNow calls on #Turkey to #FreeTaner immediately and unconditionally #freerightsdefenders pic.twitter.com/Se5v794jGb
— AmnestyCanada (@AmnestyNow) February 1, 2018
4. Learn more
Taner Kiliç, the Chair of Amnesty International Turkey, was taken into police custody on June 6 along with 22 other lawyers and charged three days later. Taner is wrongly accused of membership of the “Fethullah Gülen Terror Organization”, which the authorities blame for an attempted coup in July 2016. . Taner has done nothing wrong, and should never have been arrested.
5. Check out how people around the world are taking action to #FreeTaner: