Rights groups follow up on their call for urgent release of imprisoned journalists, human rights defenders and others, now at risk of Covid-19

TLSP joins rights groups in calling for Turkey to release all those arbitrarily detained, now at risk of Covid-19. In the early hours of Tuesday 14 April, the Turkish Parliament passed a law which will lead to the release of up to 90,000 prisoners. However, it excludes scores of journalists, human rights defenders, politicians, lawyers and others arbitrarily detained pending trial or serving sentences following unfair trials under Turkey’s overly broad anti-terrorism laws which facilitate incarceration for exercise of free speech. While we welcome any measures taken to alleviate overcrowding in Turkey’s prisons, the new measures unjustifiably exclude tens of thousands who are imprisoned for the peaceful exercise of their rights. 

The full statement can be found here in English and Turkish.