A US-based human rights advocate has criticized Turkey’s trial of 41 defendants, 14 of whom are minors, accused of terrorism for engaging in routine social and religious activities, calling the case an egregious violation of basic freedoms, Turkish Minute reported, citing the TR724 news website.
Andrea Barron, a Washington, D.C.,-based human rights expert who works with survivors of torture, traveled to İstanbul in September and again in February to observe the trial known as the “Minor Girls’ Trial.” She condemned the charges against 41 defendants, including 15 high school students, who are accused of terrorism for engaging in ordinary social and religious activities such as studying math and science, reading the Quran and helping each other financially.
Barron, who has spent years working on human rights issues in Africa and the Middle East, said she was alarmed that Turkey, a country that claims to be a democracy, is prosecuting young women for behaviors that should be encouraged rather than criminalized. She attended the first hearing in December 2024 and returned for the February 18 session to witness firsthand how the court was handling the case.
“I heard the judge questioning the defendants and witnesses, asking them why they were tutoring each other in science and math,” Barron said. “I was shocked. I thought to myself, If I had studied science and math with a tutor when I was younger, I might have gotten into Harvard University. Encouraging young girls to support each other academically should be celebrated, not treated as a crime.”
Turkey accused of criminalizing religious and social activities
At the February 18 hearing, Barron said she was further disturbed by the judge’s line of questioning, which focused on why the defendants attended an iftar meal together after Ramadan and why they read the Quran as a group.
“Turkey is supposed to be a country that upholds religious freedom,” she said. “What could possibly be wrong with reading the Quran together?”
Barron questioned why the trial was classified as a terrorism case when the judge made no attempt to establish links to violence. “If this were truly about terrorism, the judge should have been asking, Did you steal? Did you possess weapons? Did any terrorists try to store weapons in your house? Instead, all the questions were about studying and praying together,” she said.
The trial has drawn significant international scrutiny, with legal observers and human rights organizations condemning the prosecution as politically motivated and legally baseless. The indictment, accepted by the İstanbul 24th High Criminal Court on July 8, 2024, lists “120 terrorist activities,” which include routine actions such as going to shopping malls, going bowling, ordering food via a delivery app and planning an overseas trip. Prosecutors argue that 12 female university students giving English and religious lessons in private homes constitutes a terrorist network.
The case is part of a broader crackdown on individuals accused of ties to the Gülen movement, a faith-based group inspired by late Turkish cleric Fethullah Gülen. Since a coup attempt in 2016, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government has labeled the movement a terrorist organization and launched a sweeping purge, arresting thousands based on alleged affiliations. Human rights groups have repeatedly criticized Turkey’s anti-terrorism laws for their vague definitions and their use to target political dissidents, journalists and civil society members.
Mother and daughter on trial together
One of the most heartbreaking moments in the courtroom, Barron said, was watching a mother and daughter stand side by side, both accused of terrorism. “Turkey is a country that prides itself on honoring mothers and daughters. This should not be happening,” she said.
“These individuals believe in education, hard work and charitable giving — principles that should be valued, not criminalized,” Barron said.
As an adjunct professor at George Mason University in northern Virginia, Barron has taught students about Islam’s fundamental principles, including sadaqah (voluntary charity) and zakat (obligatory charity). Seeing young women in Turkey being prosecuted for practicing these values, she said, was deeply distressing.
The “Girls’ Trial” has been monitored by international human rights observers, including Barron; Rebecca Cataldi, director of the Washington-based International Center for Religion & Diplomacy; and Anaïs Lefort, a criminal lawyer registered with the Paris Bar Association. Their presence highlights growing international concern over Turkey’s judicial system and its treatment of religious and social activities as crimes.
The trial has also drawn criticism from Turkish opposition figures. Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, a member of parliament from the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), was expelled from the courtroom during the first hearing on September 23 after criticizing the judge’s questions to the children. He later filed a complaint against the presiding judge, accusing him of politically motivated rulings.
Barron described the February 18 hearing as a “sad day” and called for urgent action to prevent further persecution. “These young women should not be on trial,” she said. “This situation needs to change.”
The next hearing is scheduled for April 25.
