TURKEY: OIAD attends the 9th hearing in Diyarbakir of the trial of the alleged killers of former Bar President Tahir Elçi

Since 2022, the International Observatory for Lawyers in Danger has been monitoring the trial in Diyarbakir of the alleged murderers of former Bar President Tahir Elçi. The latest hearing in this trial was also observed by The OIAD on Wednesday 6 March 2024.

Tahir Elçi was murdered on 28 November 2015 in a shooting attack when he called for a ceasefire and denounced the extensive destruction of the historic district of Sur, the old town of Diyarbarkir.

Elçi had been the target of death threats a few weeks before his murder, particularly on social networks, and had been harassed after refusing to label the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) a terrorist organisation during a television broadcast on 14 October 2015.

At the last hearing on 6 March 2024, all the requests made by Tahir Elci’s lawyers and the Diyarbakir Bar Association were rejected, and the case was adjourned to 12 June for final indictment. The lawyers representing the family of the former Bar President strongly criticised the court’s complacency towards the accused police officers and the lack of a proper preliminary investigation, a criticism that had already been raised by observers at previous hearings.

The integrity and courage of Tahir Elçi, who was detained and tortured during the military coup for practising his profession as a lawyer, and the fight for the establishment of the rule of law by the Diyarbakir Bar Association, an honorary member of the OIAD, emphasise the need for international observers to be present.

The International Observatory for Lawyers in Danger remains determined to monitor this case closely and to seek that justice is done in accordance with international standards.

A full report of the mission will be available shortly.