Turkish Police sealed off a central Istanbul square in the historic Sultanahmet district after a large explosion/Reuters

In the wake of a horrific attack in Istanbul’s Sultanahmet district today, Amnesty International issued a public statement condemning the bombing and calling for “a prompt, impartial, and thorough investigation”:

Amnesty International condemns the bombing, apparently targeting civilians in the main square of Sultanahmet shortly after 10am this morning. The square is at the heart of Istanbul’s old city, a crowded part of the city, popular with local people and tourists. According to a statement by the Istanbul Governor’s office shortly after the blast, 10 people had been killed and a further 15 injured. The location of the bombing appears calculated to inflict as many civilian casualties as possible. Attacks targeting civilians violate the most basic principles of international law and show contempt for the right to life. No individual or group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. Amnesty International calls on the Turkish authorities to conduct a prompt, impartial and thorough investigation and to bring all those responsible for the bombing to justice.