Özlem Dalkıran and human rights defenders face 15 years in prison

*Global civic movement Avaaz to ramp up pressure after weeks of waiting*

The Turkish Chief Public Prosecutor's Office announced it is seeking up to 15 years in jail on made up charges for Avaaz campaigner Özlem Dalkıran and 10 other human rights defenders. The 11 activists are accused of membership of a terrorist organisation.

Alex Evans, Avaaz campaign director, said:
“This is outrageous. The ridiculous and unfounded charge of terrorism against Özlem only proves that Erdogan is holding human rights hostage. Özlem and the others are political prisoners, and it’s clear who’s really using terror as a weapon.”

Özlem Dalkıran, together with 9 other human rights activists, was detained on July 5 at a routine digital security and information management workshop at a hotel in Büyükada, Istanbul. Since her arrest she has been held at Turkey’s highest security prison, unable to receive any visitors except her lawyer once a week.

Her detention has been followed by a public campaign to secure the release of Özlem and her fellow detainees, including a petition signed by more than a million people.

Since a failed coup in July 2016, Erdogan’s government has closed down 180 media outlets, detained over 50,000 people as part of its crackdown, and fired or suspended over 150,000 teachers, academics, and lawyers from their jobs.

Contact: Alex Evans, Campaign Director, alex.evans@avaaz.org, +44 7748 123172