Turkey: Eren Keskin’s travel ban upheld and next hearing scheduled for October

June 5, 2018

On 30 March 2018, Istanbul’s 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance sentenced human rights defender Eren Keskin to 7.5 years in jail for having published articles deemed to have “degraded” the Turkish nation and “insulted” the Turkish president. The articles had been published in the daily newspaper Özgür Gündem (“Free Agenda”), of which she was co-editor-in-chief at the time. Özgür Gündem was closed on 16 August 2016 as a result of a statutory decree issued under the State of Emergency.

On 4 June 2018, the ninth hearing of the Özgür Gündem “Main Trial” was held. Former editor-in-chief of Özgür Gündem, Eren Keskin is one of nine defendants in the case. During the hearing the court requested that the prosecutor prepare a statement for the next hearing, which is scheduled for 20 October 2018. Her lawyer’s request to lift the travel ban on the human rights defender was refused by the court.

Eren Keskin is a prominent human rights defender and lawyer in Turkey. She is the vice-president of the Human Rights Association (İHD). She is also the founder of the Legal Aid Bureau against Sexual Harassment and Rape in Custody. Keskin has been arrested, imprisoned and the object of numerous lawsuits for her legitimate and peaceful work in the defence of human rights.

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https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/hrd-eren-keskin-sentenced-75-years-prison

https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/Newsroom/kofler-tuerkei-oezguer-guendem/2101806

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eren_Keskin

https://www.gercekgundem.com/medya/18371/ozgur-gundem-davasinda-flas-gelisme (TURKCE)

#DayoftheEndangeredLawyer

Freedom of speech + a strong + independent press are of primordial importance. I hope that #ErenKeskin and the eight co-defendants will receive a fair trial that does justice to the precious asset that is the freedom of the press. #Turkey #HumanRights https://t.co/v7jVTzOgbO

— Bärbel Kofler MdB (@BaerbelKofler) June 5, 2018

#JusticeWatchTurkey – #ErenKeskin next hearing will be on 10/10/18. Her travel ban has been confirmed in spite of her lawyer's request to cancel it .@EMHRN @ihd_genelmerkez @fidh_en @omctorg @FrontLineHRD pic.twitter.com/nBE6EnM2AT

— Marta Semplici (@MartaSemplici) June 4, 2018

#ErenKeskin I am a #humanrights defender and co-president of #İHD. I acted as editor in chief for solidarity.
There are 143 cases against me.#JusticeWatchTurkey

— İHD Genel Merkezi (@ihd_genelmerkez) June 4, 2018

Pro-Kurdish #humanrights defender from #Turkey Eren Keskin to receive 2018 Anna Lindh Prize
The #Swedish-based Anna Lindh Memorial Fund has named pro-Kurdish human rights lawyer from Turkey Eren Keskin as the recipient of the 2018 Anna Lindh Prize.https://t.co/Ra69FBZmlY

— Others (@OthersInfo) May 27, 2018

Tagged: Day of the Endangered Lawyer, Turkey