LONDON Human rights organization Amnesty International accused the Turkish authorities of having created a climate which allowed the shooting Tuesday of leading rights activist Akin Birdal. By persistently attempting to discredit the Turkish Human Rights Association (HRA), authorities created the climate for the attack, an Amnesty statement said. The Turkish authorities have consistently failed to investigate or condemn earlier fatal attacks on officers of the association, it said.

More than 10 members of the association have been killed since 1991, according to the statement. It went on to allege the murders were not being properly investigated. Birdal was fighting for his life in an Ankara hospital Tuesday after two unidentified gunmen marched into his office and shot him six times. (AFP)