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In December, Turkey was for the second consecutive year ranked as the world's worst offender for jailing reporters going about their work. The unwelcome num- ber one spot was outlined in an annual report on press freedom released by
the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) watchdog. Amnesty International, meanwhile, in late February warned that human rights violations and the crack- down on freedom of expression were likely to proliferate in Turkey as long as it remains under the state of emergency.
by her legs immediately after a miscar- riage, she said.
"We have reports that people were detained and ill-treated without charge by anti-terror police units and security forces at places like sports centres and hospitals, as well as detention facilities," she added.
In a related development, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled on March 20 that the rights of two
"Turkish officials have given no indication that the ending of the special regime will take place any time soon”
Also, on March 7, while cutting Turkey’s credit rating further into junk, Moody’s Investors Service observed that politi- cal factors, such as the prolonged state of emergency, were weighing down on the country. However, Turkish officials have given no indication that the ending of the special regime will take place any time soon.
The Turkish government blames the network of Fethullah Gulen, a US- based self-exiled Muslim cleric, for the failed coup, during which 250 people lost their lives. But Gulen has strenu- ously denied any involvement and has accused Erdogan in columns written for the US media of using the coup attempt as a pretext to undemocratically inflate his powers.
The UN report was based on 104 interviews. It describes the use of torture and ill-treatment in custody. Incidences referred to include severe beatings, sexual assault, electric shocks and waterboarding by police, gendarmerie, military police and security forces.
UN human rights spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told a news briefing that victims included at least 50 women detained just before or after having given birth, with some separated from their babies. One woman was shackled
prominent Turkish journalists, Ahmet Altan and Sahin Alpay, had been violated during their pre-trial detention for over a year.
Altan was handed a life sentence in February 16 over his alleged links
to FETO, an acronym that refers to what the Ankara government calls the “Fetullahist Terrorist Organisation”.
Also on March 20, Turkey charged an American pastor with working to divide the Turkish republic and prompt internal chaos by inciting hatred based on religious and ethnic differences.
Andrew Brunson, imprisoned in Turkey since the 2016 coup attempt, faces up to 35 years in prison for pursuing goals of the wanted cleric Gulen, whom the US has refused to extradite, and the autonomy-seeking Kurdish PKK group.
Brunson is also accused of allegedly acting with a group of military and intelligence personnel against the Erdogan administration and of obtaining classified information in the pursuit
of political and military espionage, media outlet Anadolu said, citing the indictment. The pastor denies any wrongdoing.
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