11 activists charged in Turkey over terror links

Associated Press

ISTANBUL

The Istanbul prosecutor’s office is charging Amnesty International’s Turkey chief and 10 others accused of belonging to and aiding terror groups with the completion of an indictment Sunday, according to the country’s official news agency.

The Anadolu news agency said officials concluded an investigation into the 11 human-rights activists, who are awaiting trial. The 17-page indictment was prepared by the prosecutor’s office’s terror crimes branch.

Police detained 10 human-rights activists during a workshop on digital security at a hotel near Istanbul in July. Eight people, including Amnesty International’s director in Turkey Idil Eser, German Peter Steudtner and Swede Ali Gharavi, were arrested. Two others were detained but released pending trial.

They are accused of aiding armed terror organizations in purported communications with suspects linked to Kurdish and left-wing militants as well as the movement led by U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of orchestrating last year’s coup attempt. Gulen has denied the accusations.

Meanwhile, t he U.S. said Sunday it was suspending non-immigrant visa services at its diplomatic facilities in Turkey after the arrest of a consulate employee, prompting Turkey to halt visa services in the U.S.