The Cape Law Society (“CLS”) which is a statutory body established in terms of the South Africa’s Attorneys Act 53 of 1979 to administer and regulate the attorneys’ profession in the Eastern, Western & Northern Cape Provinces has made a statement regarding arrest en masse of Turkish lawyers and judges.
Statement was made on behalf of the Council of The Cape by Lulama Lobi who is the President of The Cape Law Society.
Full statement dated 9 March 2018 as folows
The Cape Law Society (“CLS”) has noted with concern the wide spread and systemic arbitrary arrest and detention of judges and lawyers in Turkey.
Reliable reports indicate that since July 2016:
- approximately 1525 lawyers have been prosecuted, 578 have been arrested and
held in pre-trial detention and 99 have been sentenced;
- more than 4400 judges and prosecutors have been investigated with over 2400 held in pre-trial detention;
- legal professionals have been subjected to ill-treatment, torture and excessive solitary confinement; and
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state officials have been granted immunity for acts of ill-treatment and torture committed during their scope of duties under state of emergency decrees.
These gross violations of international norms and standards are a violation of the independence of the judiciary and an erosion of the rule of law in Turkey, and are of extreme concern to the legal community in South Africa.
This conduct is accordingly condemned in the strongest terms possible and the government of Turkey is called upon to cease these unlawful practices with immediate effect. The CLS calls on the international community of nations to express its displeasure at such conduct and to regard such conduct of the Turkish government as a gross violation of fundamental entrenched rights in international law.
Mr Lulama Lobi, President of The Cape Law Society on behalf of the Council of The Cape Law Society
09 March 2018
Categories: International Advocacy