Court Orders Release of Amnesty's Turkish Chief After Over a Year in Prison

A Turkish court ordered the release of Taner Kilic, chair of Amnesty International Turkey, on August 15, after more than a year in prison.

Kilic was arrested in a July 2017 police raid during a meeting near Istanbul, and accused of being a member of the group led by Fethullah Gulen, which the Turkish government blames for the failed 2016 coup.

Footage released by Amnesty shows Kilic being reunited with his family after his release from a jail in Izmir city.

Amnesty’s recently appointed secretary general, Kumi Naidoo, welcomed the release, saying, “We are overjoyed at this news. It has taken us more than a year of campaigning and struggle to get here but Taner has finally been freed and is safely back at the arms of his wife and daughters.” Credit: Amnesty via Storyful