WEB DESK
Turkey has jailed six human-rights activists, including Amnesty International’s Turkey chief, for allegedly aiding terrorists. A court in Istanbul yesterday ordered them to remain behind bars until a trial. They were arrested on two weeks back during a raid on the island of Buyukada.
Turkish media reports said the six are accused of having been in contact with Kurdish and leftist militants and suspected members of the movement led by exiled Muslim cleric Fetullah Gulen. Turkey blames Gulen, for last year’s failed coup.
The United States condemned the arrests and urged Istanbul to free the six prisoners. More than 50,000 people have been arrested during a year long crackdown since last year’s coup.
In addition, 110,000 civil servants, members of the military and law-enforcement agencies were dismissed for either participating in the coup or actively sympathizing with the plotters.