(Istanbul, January 22, 2013) – Yesterday’s Istanbul court decision to order the pre-trial detention of nine human rights lawyers highlights the arbitrary and abusive use of anti-terrorism laws in Turkey, said Human Rights Watch. The 9 were among 12 lawyers arrested, 11 during early morning raids on January 18, and 1 on January 20.

In the past few years, Turkey’s overbroad anti-terrorism laws have been used against an ever-widening circle of people, charged for non-violent political activities and the legitimate exercise of freedom of expression, association, and assembly. Such charges are often accompanied by prolonged pretrial detention. Prolonged pretrial detention that cannot be justified under international standards constitutes arbitrary detention in violation of human rights norms.

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