A woman shouts slogans outside the headquarters of the Cumhuriyet newspaper in Istanbul, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016 following the detentions of at least 13 senior staff members. Picture by Emrah Gurel AP/Press Association Images. All rights reserved. Dr. Şebnem Korur Fincani, a forensic doctor, university professor, and human rights defender, has been a leading figure in the struggle against torture worldwide. Now she stands accused, together with two prominent journalists, Erol Önderoĝlu and Ahmet Nesin, of having committed serious crimes, including propaganda for terrorism.
The crime? Acting as a one day guest editor-in-chief for the now banned newspaper, Özgur Gündem Daily, to show solidarity with the editors who have faced prosecution.
As someone who has worked closely with Dr. Fincanci, I, and many others around the world who have come to know her as a passionate and compassionate defender of human rights, was appalled when I heard about the prosecution. This is not an ordinary case in what are extraordinary times in Turkey.
