Turkish activist Selek absolved in 12-year case, after three trials

Feb 9, 2011, 15:35 GMT

Istanbul - In a controversial third trial, a Turkish court on Wednesday ruled to absolve prominent sociologist Pinar Selek of her alleged involvement in a 1998 explosion, charges for which she was already acquitted twice.

Selek was accused of helping plant a bomb in Istanbul's Spice Bazaar in 1998 on behalf of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), setting off an explosion that killed seven people and wounded 127.

But the evidence indicated that the explosion was caused by a gas leak, not a bomb.

Although Selek and her co-defendant, Abdulmecit Ozturk, had been acquitted twice in previous trials in 2006 and 2008, Turkey's top appeals court had ordered for her to be tried a third time.

The case against Selek, who lives in exile in Berlin and was tried in absentia, is widely viewed as politically motivated and legally problematic.

Ozturk testified that a statement he had made to police alleging Selek's involvement was coerced under torture.

Selek has written extensively about human rights in Turkey, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights, as well as Kurdish and other minority rights.

'The trial of Pinar Selek is a perversion of the criminal justice system and abuse of due process,' said Emma Sinclair-Webb of Human Rights Watch.

'The 12-year-long campaign to convict Selek for something that the evidence has repeatedly demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that she could not have done, shows that Turkey has a long way to go toward upholding fair trial standards and ensuring judicial independence,' said Sinclair-Webb.

Selek's court hearing was attended by representatives from more than 20 Turkish and European human rights groups, writers and members of parliament.

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