Tomorrow, on October 25, the trial against Peter Steudtner and 10 other human rights activists will start in Turkey.
Rebecca Harms, Green Member of the European Parliament, is commenting:
"Peter Steudner's commitment to human rights and democracy is widely known and highly valued. Linking the work of Steudtner and other human rights activists, who are on trial with him, to the support of terrorism, to imprison and prosecute them, is highly absurd. The arbitrary detention of foreign citizens in Turkey proves to be more and more a measure by which the Turkish leadership wants to pressure the home countries of those concerned. The procedure lacks any democratic, fair and objective basis and is undermining the principle of rule of law. The German government and the EU must react effectively to this type of hostage-taking. Everything has to be done for the release of Peter Steudtner, so he can finally return to his family in Berlin after having spent several months in prison although being innocent. The same applies to the co-defendants, including the renowned head of Amnesty Turkey, İdil Eser."
