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Punishment for dissent begins with lengthy pretrial detention in Turkey

As the Turkish judiciary takes a summer recess, nearly 60,000 people remain behind bars as the trial process for political and terrorism-related charges drags on.
Silivri Prison complex is pictured in Silivri near Istanbul, Turkey, June 24, 2019. REUTERS/Huseyin Aldemir - RC1D23495C00

One month ago today, Yigit Aksakoglu was released from prison after being held on charges he’s still trying to understand.

The early childhood services advocate was taken into custody on Nov. 17, 2018, for “attempting to overthrow the government” during the 2013 Gezi Park protests, and was released on parole after seven months to continue his trial, in which he faces a life sentence without possibility of parole.

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