URFA – 24 Bar Presidents including Ankara, İstanbul and İzmir made a joint statement and said: "Defense cannot be silenced, release our colleagues immediately."

 

As part of an investigation carried out by the Urfa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, 9 lawyers, 12 guards and many people released from prison were detained in house raids in Urfa, Diyarbakır, Van and Şırnak. 24 Bar Presidents made a joint statement and demanded the release of their colleagues.

 

Reminding that 7 colleagues registered in Urfa Bar Association and 2 registered to Diyarbakır Bar Association, 9 of their colleagues were taken into custody, and warrants were issued for 3 of their colleagues one of whom is from Şırnak and 2 from Diyarbakır, the bars announced that the houses and offices of their colleagues were searched and their documents were confiscated.

 

Stating that they could not get information about the content due to the restriction decision regarding the investigation, the uncertainty caused serious concerns, and that their colleagues were exposed to this practice due to their professional activities, as understood from their search and detention decisions, the bar associations underlined the following: "It appears that the legal provisions on their trial have been violated."

 

The statement said: "Also, our colleague Attorney Ali Kahraman from Mardin Bar Association was arrested on anonymous witness statements for his professional activities. Likewise, it is known to the public that 18 ÇHD members have been unjustly imprisoned for years.

 

Regardless of the crime, it is the requirement of the state of law that everyone has the right to defence and get legal aid from a lawyer. Therefore, the attorney can not be identified with the task they undertakes! The attorney can not be taken into custody, get arrested or tried for his duty.

 

What we witness today is a move against our colleagues in 3 different cities to silence the defence and it can not be accepted.

 

We, as the Bar Presidents signed below, demand the release of our colleagues and announce to the public that we stand with our colleagues.

 

The Bar Presidents who signed the statement are as follows: 

 

"President of Şanlıurfa Bar Association Attorney Abdullah Öncel, President of Diyarbakır Bar Association Attorney Cihan Aydın, President of Şırnak Bar Association Attorney Nuşirevan Elçi, President of Adana Bar Association Attorney Veli Küçük, President of Adiyaman Bar Association Attorney Mustafa Köroğlu, President of Ağrı Bar Association Attorney Salih Aydın, President of Ankara Bar Association Attorney R.Erinç Sağkan, President of Antalya Bar Association Attorney Polat Balkan, President of Artvin Bar Association Attorney Ali Uğur Çağal, President of Batman Bar Association Attorney Abdulhamit Çakan, President of Bingöl Bar Association Attorney Hanifi Budancamanak, President of Bursa Bar Association Attorney Gürkan Altun, President of Hakkari Bar Association Attorney Ergun Canan, President of Hatay Bar Association Attorney Ekrem Dönmez, President of Gaziantep Bar Association Attorney Bektas Şarklı, President of Istanbul Bar Association Attorney Mehmet Durakoğlu, President of İzmir Bar Association Attorney Özkan Yücel, President of Mardin Bar Association Attorney İsmail Elik, President of the Mersin Bar Association Attorney Bilgin Yeşilbogaz, President of Muş Bar Association Attorney Feridun Taş, President of the Siirt Bar Association Attorney Nizam Dilek, President of Tunceli Bar Association Attorney Kenan Çetin, President of Van Bar Association Attorney Zülküf Uçar, President of Yalova Bar Association Attorney Fedai Doğruyol."