In a statement yesterday, Amnesty International condemned the hostage taking and killing of Istanbul prosecutor, Mehmet Selim Kiraz at the Cağlayan Court House:

In a video circulated via social media, a masked hostage taker was shown holding a gun to the head of the prosecutor. Amnesty International condemns the act of hostage taking which violates the most basic principles of international law. The organisation calls for the authorities to launch a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident and to bring all those responsible to justice in a fair trial.

Amnesty also has called for “impartial and independent investigation into the police operation in which both hostage takers were shot dead and in which the prosecutor also died of gunshot wounds.”

Finally, Amnesty continues to call for justice in the death of Berkin Elvan.

Mehmet Selim Kiraz was the latest prosecutor to be assigned to the investigation into the death of 14 year-old Berkin Elvan who died following injuries sustained at the scene of a Gezi Park protest in June 2013. According to witnesses, Berkin Elvan was hit by a tear gas canister fired by a police officer from close range. Despite this, the police officers have not yet been identified and no prosecution has been brought.