Human rights activists accused of aiding terror groups on trial in Turkey
ISTANBUL - Eleven human rights activists, including the two local heads of Amnesty International, went on trial in Turkey on Wednesday, accused of belonging to and aiding terror groups in a case that has increased concerns over Turkey's authoritarian turn under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Ten of the activists, including Amnesty's Turkey director Idil Eser, German national Peter Steudtner and Swede Ali Gharavi, were arrested while attending a digital security training workshop at a hotel on an island off Istanbul in July.
They are accused of plotting an uprising and charged with aiding Kurdish and left-wing militants as well as the movement led by US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, blamed for last year's coup attempt. They face up to 15 years in prison if found guilty.
