The United Nations has strongly criticized Turkey for its continued use of counterterrorism laws to imprison human rights lawyers and activists, branding these actions as violations of international human rights obligations. The condemnation comes amid heightened concern over the persecution of legal professionals like Turan Canpolat, whose harrowing ordeal has become emblematic of Turkey’s crackdown on judicial independence.
Mary Lawlor, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, denounced the detention and harsh sentencing of nine lawyers, including Canpolat, under “spurious terrorism-related charges.” Lawlor described the cases as severe violations of human rights and the rule of law. Her statement was endorsed by Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on human rights while countering terrorism, and Margaret Satterthwaite, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers.
The Case of Turan Canpolat
Turan Canpolat, a respected defense lawyer from Malatya Bar Association, has spent nearly nine years in prison following his arrest on January 27, 2016. His case began with a routine act of legal duty: defending a client whose home was searched by police. Canpolat recorded irregularities during the search, challenging police misconduct. Hours later, he was arrested under fabricated charges based on a coerced statement from his client, later proven to have been tampered with by authorities.
Prosecutors doctored official records to replace the name of another suspect with Canpolat’s, a blatant violation of legal procedure. Despite raising these issues in court, they were ignored. Canpolat was convicted of “membership in a terrorist organization” for representing companies later shut down by emergency decrees and using a legally available communication app, ByLock.
Adding to the injustice, his client recanted their testimony during the trial, admitting it was coerced by police. Nevertheless, Canpolat was sentenced to 10 years in prison. While others implicated in the same case were acquitted, Canpolat remains imprisoned, often in solitary confinement in Elazig Prison.
Systematic Erosion of Legal Protections
Canpolat’s case is not an isolated incident. Since the failed 2016 coup, Turkey has jailed thousands of lawyers, judges, and activists under broad anti-terror laws. The government has increasingly weaponized these laws to silence dissent, criminalize legal advocacy, and dismantle judicial independence.
In the same statement, UN experts also highlighted the arbitrary and politically motivated nature of these prosecutions. The ÇHD II trial, involving eight members of the Progressive Lawyers’ Association, resulted in sentences of up to 13 years on similarly dubious charges. In this trial, lawyers Barkın Timtik, Aytaç Ünsal, Özgür Yılmaz, Behiç Aşçı, Engin Gökoğlu, Süleyman Gökten, Selçuk Kozağaçlı and Oya Aslan were sentenced to up to 13 years in prison under Article 314 of Turkish Penal code which is main anti-terror provision of Turkey.
International Outcry
Lawlor called on Turkey to cease its criminalization of human rights work and uphold international legal standards. “The continued detention of these lawyers sends a chilling message to all who stand for justice and human rights,” she said. Despite repeated interventions by international organizations, Turkey has shown little willingness to address systemic issues.
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have condemned the misuse of anti-terror laws and the erosion of due process in Turkey. The European Court of Human Rights has ruled against Turkey in numerous cases, finding repeated violations of fair trial rights.
A Cry for Justice
For Canpolat, his imprisonment has been compounded by denials of parole and arbitrary disciplinary actions. Though deemed eligible for transfer to an open prison due to good conduct, he was required to sign an admission of guilt, which he refused on legal and ethical grounds.
Canpolat’s story symbolizes the plight of Turkey’s judicial system under a repressive regime. His continued imprisonment raises questions about the international community’s ability to hold Turkey accountable for its human rights abuses.
As Lawlor affirmed, the time to act is now: “Turkey must comply with its obligations under international law and ensure the immediate and unconditional release of all detained lawyers and human rights defenders.”
Mounting Pressure on Legal Institutions
In a separate development, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office’s Terror Investigation Bureau has filed a lawsuit seeking the dismissal of Istanbul Bar Association President İbrahim Kaboğlu and its Board Members, including Rukiye Leyla Süren, Hürrem Sönmez, Ahmet Ergin, Metin İriz, Mehmedali Barış Beşli, Yelda Koçak Urfa, Fırat Epözdemir, Ezgi Şahin Yalvarıcı, Ekrem Bilen Selimoğlu, and Bengisu Kadı Çavdar. The lawsuit demands their removal and the election of new members, further underscoring the growing crackdown on independent legal organizations in Turkey.
According to a recent report by the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) and The Arrested Lawyers Initiative (TALI), increasing interference by the government in bar associations has severely undermined their ability to safeguard the legal profession. The Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers noted that since the state of emergency declared in 2016, over 34 lawyers’ associations have been shut down, with their assets confiscated without compensation. Chairs, board members, and ordinary members of these associations have faced prosecution and long-term imprisonment.
The report further highlighted that more than 1,700 lawyers have been prosecuted, with 700 lawyers remanded to pretrial detention. To date, at least 553 lawyers have been sentenced to a total of 3,380 years in prison.
These developments mark a troubling escalation in the erosion of legal protections in Turkey, drawing urgent calls for action from the international legal and human rights communities.
Categories: Turkey Human Rights Blog, Unjust / Wrongful Convictions