5 LAWYERS WERE SENTENCED RANGE TO 1 to 13 YEARS IMPRISONMENT IN THE PROVINCE OF ERZURUM
Former President of Erzurum Bar Association, lawyer Mehmet Guzel who is under arrest since 4th August 2016, was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment with charge of to run armed terrorist organisation; along with him, 4 other lawyers (MSB, SA, ŞYL, HD) also were sentenced range to 1 and 5 years imprisonment.
Lawyer Mehmet Güzel, Former President of Erzurum Bar Association
Erzurum 2nd High Penal Court convicted 5 lawyers with terror related offences such as to be member of armed terrorist organisation and to establish or run an armed terrorist organisation and sentenced them range to 1 and 13 years imprisonment.
2 LAWYERS WERE ARRESTED IN THE PROVINCE OF ZONGULDAK
On 13th October; 3 lawyers (the couple BÖ, DÖ and SA) were taken into custody in the province of Zonguldak. The lawyers are accused of to be member of armed terrorist organisation. After 5-day police custody, while SA and DÖ got arrested and DÖ was released with probation.
So far, 8 members of Zonguldak Bar Association were taken into custody and 6 of them have been arrested.
2 LAWYERS WERE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY IN ISTANBUL
Today (19/10) lawyers Özlem Gümüştaş & Sezin Uçar were taken into custody in #Istanbul (and also detention warrant issued for lawyer Gulhan Kaya) within scope of police operation against The Socialist Platform of the Oppressed (ESP) and The Law Office of the Oppressed (EHB).
Situation in Turkey
As of 19th October 2017, 552 lawyers have been arrested (since 15th July 2016) and 1403 lawyers are under prosecution. Some of the arrested lawyers were subjected torture and ill-treatment.
14 of detained or arrested lawyers are the presidents or former presidents of provincial bars associations.
There has been a relentless campaign of arrests which has targeted fellow lawyers across the country. In 77 of Turkey’s 81 provinces, lawyers have been detained and arrested on trumped-up charges as part of criminal investigations orchestrated by the political authorities and conducted by provincial public prosecutors.
All persecuted lawyers are being charged with terror linked offences such as being member of armed terrorist organisation or to run armed terrorist organisation. Pursuant to Turkish Penal Code, these two offences require 7,5 to 22,5 years imprisonment.
So far, 39 lawyers were sentenced to long imprisonment. Erzincan 2nd High Penal Court sentenced lawyers Cemalettin Ozer and Talip Nayir who are (respectively) former president of Erzincan Bar Association and former board member of association 8 years 9 month and 10 years, Erzurum 2nd High Penal Court sentenced Mehmet Güzel who is former president of Erzurum Bar Association and 4 other lawyer range to 1 and 13 years, Eskisehir 2nd High Penal Court sentenced 11 lawyers to range 4 to 12 years. Sivas 2nd High Penal Court and Adana 11th High Penal Court sentenced lawyers to ranging from 3 to 9 years imprisonment with charge on being member of armed terrorist organisation.
In addition to these lawyers, at least 149 public (gov’t) attorneys & legal advisers, 108 law schools academics were dismissed with emergency decrees, most of them were also detained or arrested. As the most recent ring of Erdogan’s persecution chain, nine respected human rights defenders including the chair and director of Amnesty International Turkey Branch were arrested.
The Turkish government has also targeted Turkish lawyers’ right to free association. 34 different lawyers’ societies or associations have been shut down since the declaration of the state of emergency. Following their closing down by a government decree, all their assets have also been confiscated without compensation.
Also, 5218 judges and prosecutors were dismissed and they were subsequently arrested. There are still 2600 judges and public prosecutors in prison with nearly 680 of them in solitary confinement.
According to The World Justice Project’s annual report entitled “Rule of Law Index 2016″, Turkey is on 99th rank amongst 113 countries. Turkey is on 105th rank in terms of “fundamental rights” and on 108th rank in terms of “constraints on government powers” amongst 113 countries.
For our all reports go to https://arrestedlawyers.org/category/reports/
Categories: Situation in Turkey, Weekly Newsletters