A Turkish court has issued a ruling for the release from prison of Taner Kilic, the local head of Amnesty International, in one of several cases that have raised concerns about Turkey’s human rights record.
"Great news: The Istanbul court has ruled for the release of Amnesty Turkey Honorary Chair Taner Kilic," Amnesty researcher Andrew Gardner said on Twitter after the August 15 decision. "Expecting his release by this evening. Celebrations will start then."
Kilic has been jailed in Turkey's western city of Izmir for more than a year on charges of supporting Fethullah Gulen, the U.S.-based cleric that Ankara blames for Turkey’s failed July 2016 coup.
Gulen denies Turkey's allegations that he ordered his followers in Turkey to stage the attempted coup.
Earlier on August 15, a Turkish court rejected an appeal for the release from house arrest of U.S. Evangelical Christian pastor Andrew Brunson and for his travel ban to be lifted.
