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It has been 4 years since #AhmetAltan was jailed for his criticism of the government. He released for one week last November and then cruelly re-arrested. He must be freed. The charges, the evidence against him & his trial, and re-trial were all bogus. #Turkey thread
In 2017 he was charged in relation to the coup attempt & sentenced to life in February 2018. A19 submitted an opinion on the case to the court. https://www.article19.org/resources/turkey-article-19-submits-expert-opinion-in-the-case-of-brothers-ahmet-and-mehmet-altan/
@BarHumanRights of England & Wales monitored the 1st and 2nd hearing, & described it as a "show trial" https://www.barhumanrights.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Turkey.Altan-trial.part-2.v1-.pdf
The European Court of Human Rights issued a decision on the case of his brother #MehmetAltan in March 2018, saying his rights had been violated. Mehmet's case was eventually overturned & he was freed. But there is still no judgment on the case of #AhmetAltan
A timeline on the case, including the re-trial can be found here: https://www.article19.org/resources/turkey-altans-others-still-in-jail-as-retrial-commences-on-new-bogus-terrorism-charges/
On 4 Nov 2019 #AhmetAltan was sentenced to 10 yrs 6 months in jail for 'aiding a terrorist organisation'. https://www.article19.org/resources/turkey-re-arrest-of-novelist-ahmet-altan-is-arbitrary-and-cruel/
The entire case has been arbitrary & cruel, and is emblematic of a broken system, through which the Turkish authorities harass those who dare to be critical. Hundreds of journalists & HRDs are in jail, & scores more are harassed through baseless proceedings designed to silence.
It's time for #Turkey to end these injustices. Turkey must honour its international commitments to human rights, release the all jailed journalists, & others such as #OsmanKavala & #SelahattinDemirtas, persecuted for exercising their right to freedom of expression.
