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| Activists go on trial in Turkey on terror charges | Activists go on trial in Turkey on terror charges |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Eight human rights activists on trial in Turkey on alleged terror charges, including a senior Amnesty International official, have been released on bail. | |
| Among those on trial are a German and a Swedish national. | Among those on trial are a German and a Swedish national. |
| They each face up to 15 years in jail on charges that include membership of and giving aid to an armed terror group. They deny the charges. | They each face up to 15 years in jail on charges that include membership of and giving aid to an armed terror group. They deny the charges. |
| Amnesty says the case is a politically motivated attempt to silence critics. | Amnesty says the case is a politically motivated attempt to silence critics. |
| The court order frees eight of the 10 defendants, including the director of Amnesty Turkey Idil Eser. The two other defendants in the case were already free on bail. | |
| The defendants have been permitted conditional release during the duration of their trial pending the verdict. The next hearing is due to take place on 22 November. | |
| Another activist on trial is Amnesty Turkey's chairman, Taner Kilic, who was held in June in the coastal province of Izmir and faces charges in a separate case, which will be held on Thursday. Mr Kilic remains in custody. | |
| In a statement released on Wednesday Salil Shetty, Amnesty's secretary general, said it was time to "take a brief moment to celebrate". | In a statement released on Wednesday Salil Shetty, Amnesty's secretary general, said it was time to "take a brief moment to celebrate". |
| "Today, finally, we celebrate that our friends and colleagues can go back with their loved ones and can sleep in their own beds for the first time in almost four months," she said. | "Today, finally, we celebrate that our friends and colleagues can go back with their loved ones and can sleep in their own beds for the first time in almost four months," she said. |
| The case has raised further concerns over freedom of expression in Turkey, the BBC's Selin Girit reports. | The case has raised further concerns over freedom of expression in Turkey, the BBC's Selin Girit reports. |
| The country is still ruled under the state of emergency imposed after last year's failed coup attempt. | The country is still ruled under the state of emergency imposed after last year's failed coup attempt. |
| More than 50,000 people have been arrested and 120,000 sacked or suspended in the aftermath of the failed coup. | More than 50,000 people have been arrested and 120,000 sacked or suspended in the aftermath of the failed coup. |
| President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the measures are essential to maintain stability. | President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the measures are essential to maintain stability. |
| He accuses US-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen of instigating the coup attempt - a charge the cleric denies. | He accuses US-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen of instigating the coup attempt - a charge the cleric denies. |
| On Wednesday, dozens of people gathered outside the court building in Istanbul. They held slogans that read "Free rights defenders". | On Wednesday, dozens of people gathered outside the court building in Istanbul. They held slogans that read "Free rights defenders". |
| Ten of the accused activists were detained in a police raid on 5 July during a workshop on digital security on an island off Istanbul. | Ten of the accused activists were detained in a police raid on 5 July during a workshop on digital security on an island off Istanbul. |
| The event was led by two foreigners - German Peter Steudtner and Swede Ali Gharavi - who have also been under arrest since the raid. | The event was led by two foreigners - German Peter Steudtner and Swede Ali Gharavi - who have also been under arrest since the raid. |
| In the indictment, all the activists are also accused of seeking to create "chaos in society". | In the indictment, all the activists are also accused of seeking to create "chaos in society". |
| Amnesty says the "trumped up" charges "do not stand up to the slightest scrutiny". | Amnesty says the "trumped up" charges "do not stand up to the slightest scrutiny". |
| "From the moment of their detentions, it has been clear that these are politically motivated prosecutions aimed at silencing critical voices within Turkey," Amnesty's Europe director John Dalhuisen said. | "From the moment of their detentions, it has been clear that these are politically motivated prosecutions aimed at silencing critical voices within Turkey," Amnesty's Europe director John Dalhuisen said. |
| Meanwhile, Amnesty's researcher on Turkey, Andrew Gardner, told the BBC that there was now a climate of fear in the country. | Meanwhile, Amnesty's researcher on Turkey, Andrew Gardner, told the BBC that there was now a climate of fear in the country. |
| If the defendants were not unconditionally released, he added, it would be very difficult for human rights organisations to operate in the country. | If the defendants were not unconditionally released, he added, it would be very difficult for human rights organisations to operate in the country. |