{"id":22253,"date":"2025-04-14T16:13:59","date_gmt":"2025-04-14T16:13:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/protect-lawyers.org\/turquie-communique-conjoint-condamnant-les-attaques-inacceptables-contre-la-profession-juridique\/"},"modified":"2025-04-14T16:34:26","modified_gmt":"2025-04-14T16:34:26","slug":"turquie-communique-conjoint-condamnant-les-attaques-inacceptables-contre-la-profession-juridique","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/protect-lawyers.org\/en\/turquie-communique-conjoint-condamnant-les-attaques-inacceptables-contre-la-profession-juridique\/","title":{"rendered":"TURKEY: Joint statement condemning unacceptable attacks on the Legal Profession"},"content":{"rendered":"

The International Observatory for Lawyers in Danger (OIAD) together with the International legal and human rights community condemns moves to undermine the independence of lawyers and the rule of law in Turkey.<\/em><\/p>\n

The escalating attacks by Turkish authorities on the Istanbul Bar Association, its leadership, and members of the legal profession are an affront to the independence of the legal profession and the rule of law, an international coalition of lawyers, bar associations and human rights organizations warned today.<\/p>\n

Removal of Elected Leadership<\/strong><\/p>\n

On 21 March 2025, the Istanbul 2nd<\/sup> Assize Court issued a ruling to remove the elected leadership of the Istanbul Bar Association under Article 77\/5 of the Attorneyship Law. The decision mandates the dismissal of the Bar\u2019s president and executive board and orders new elections. This move undermines the independence of the legal profession and makes a mockery of the fundamental principles of justice and the rule of law in Turkey.<\/p>\n

Criminal Proceedings Against Bar Leadership<\/strong><\/p>\n

In parallel, Istanbul Bar President \u0130brahim Kabo\u011flu and ten executive board members have been charged with \u201cmaking propaganda for a terrorist organisation through the press\u201d and \u201cpublicly disseminating misleading information,\u201d with the prosecution seeking up to 12 years\u2019 imprisonment and political bans.<\/p>\n

These charges and the related civil proceedings stem directly from a public statement issued by the Bar regarding the killing of two journalists, Naz\u0131m Da\u015ftan and Cihan Bilgin, in Syria in December 2024, and calling for an independent investigation into their deaths. That a professional association is now facing criminal prosecution for such a principled, rights-based intervention illustrates the severe restrictions faced by legal professionals in Turkey who engage in human rights advocacy.<\/p>\n

Arbitrary Detention of Board Member<\/strong><\/p>\n

The arbitrary detention of Istanbul Bar board member F\u0131rat Ep\u00f6zdemir further exemplifies the judicial harassment targeting the Bar’s leadership. Arrested on 23 January 2025, after returning from an advocacy visit to the Council of Europe, Ep\u00f6zdemir has been charged with alleged \u201cmembership in a terrorist organisation\u201d and \u201cmaking propaganda for a terrorist organisation\u201d under an indictment dated 8 April 2025. His continued detention and prosecution reflect an intensifying crackdown on legal professionals in Turkey who challenge state policies and defend human rights.<\/p>\n

Escalating Attacks on Lawyers Amidst March 2025 Protests<\/strong><\/p>\n

Since the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem \u0130mamo\u011flu on 19 March 2025, Turkey has witnessed widespread protests and the detention of hundreds of people across the country. Lawyers responding to these mass arrests to provide legal assistance have themselves become targets of repression. In \u0130zmir and \u0130stanbul, a number of lawyers were arrested while attempting to support detained protesters, including the former Chair of the \u0130zmir Bar Association, \u00d6zkan Y\u00fccel, who was detained in an early morning raid on his home. On 28 March 2025, Mehmet Pehlivan, a lawyer representing Ekrem \u0130mamo\u011flu was also arrested and later released under a judicial control order.<\/p>\n

In addition to these arrests, lawyers seeking to represent those in custody faced serious obstacles trying to contact their clients and carry out their professional duties. In many cases, they were denied access to clients held in police custody or were only allowed to meet under restricted conditions that undermined confidentiality and effective representation. Reports indicate that lawyers were barred from entering courthouses during key questioning procedures, or were told hearings had taken place in their absence. In some instances, they were prevented from even confirming the whereabouts of those detained. Refusals to acknowledge, provide or confirm the fate or whereabouts of detained individuals is an element in the crime of an enforced disappearance.<\/p>\n

These actions by the Turkish authorities constitute a direct interference with the right to legal defence, impeding access to justice and further criminalising legal support for peaceful protest and dissent. They mark a dangerous intensification of pressure on the legal profession and an erosion of fair trial guarantees and the rule of law.<\/p>\n

Call to Action<\/strong><\/p>\n

These escalating attacks reveal a pattern of repression trampling over human rights and due process safeguards and mechanisms established to protect the rule of law. They also exemplify efforts to target the legal profession, undermining international standards that protect the role and rights of lawyers and their professional associations in the exercise of their professional functions.<\/p>\n

We call upon the international community to:<\/p>\n