Both Turkey and the international public actually know; the unlawful investigation and prosecution which had started in 2017, ended with a prison sentence of 159 years against 20 lawyers for “practising their lawyer profession”. And although the file, which has currently been waiting before the Supreme Court should be urgently examined and reversed, there hasn’t been taken a decision yet.
We know as well that in this period our colleagues Aytac Ünsal and Ebru Timtik have turned the hunger strike with the demand for a “fair trial” to a death fast at the “Day of Lawyers”, on April 5.
We’ve also experienced and seen that, despite of the examination report by the Forensic Medicine Institute which says that “they can’t stay in prison”, the 37th High Criminal Court decided to keep them in hospital by force for treatment instead of ordering their release. With that decision, both of our colleagues are still kept against their will in cells, called a prisoner ward, where is no fresh air and they’re in worse condition than in prison.
Today, we actually know; Ebru and Aytac are walking towards a point, from which they can’t easily return. Not only the lives of Ebru and Aytac are under threat, but the right for defense itself. Because the demand of our colleagues for a fair trial, is the need/right of all citizens. Therefore it is a right demand which can be easily fulfilled. Today, it is the burden of all people with conscience to keep Ebru and Aytac alive.
We, as bar presidents, urge the authorities in ackowledge of this responsibility: We demand that the right for fair trial is being ensured and that Ebru Timtik and Aytac Ünsal are urgently released in accordance with the forensic medicine report. And together with their release, we procure to insist that our colleagues will overview once again the decision regarding their lives.
- Adana bar president, lawyer Veli KÜCÜK
- Agri bar president, lawyer Salih AYDIN
- Amasya bar president, lawyer Ahmet Melik DERINDERE
- Ankara bar president, lawyer R. Erinc SAGKAN
- Antalya bar president, lawyer Polat BALKAN
- Artvin bar president, lawyer Ali Ugur CAGAL
- Aydin bar president, lawyer Gökhan BOZKURT
- Balikesir bar president, lawyer Erol KAYABAY
- Batman bar president, lawyer Abdülhamit CAKAN
- Bingöl bar president, lawyer Hanifi BUDANCAMANAK
- Bolu bar president, lawyer Sabri ERHENDEKCI
- Bursa bar president, lawyer Gürkan ALTUN
- Denizli bar president, lawyer Müjdat ILHAN
- Diyarbakir bar president, lawyer Cihan AYDIN
- Düzce bar president, lawyer Azade AY
- Gaziantep bar president, lawyer Bektas SARKLI
- Hakkari bar president, lawyer Ergün CANAN
- Hatay bar president, lawyer Ekrem DÖNMEZ
- Istanbul bar president, lawyer Mehmet DURAKOGLU
- Izmir bar president, lawyer Özkan YÜCEL
- Kocaeli bar president, lawyer Bahar GÜLTEKIN CANDEMIR
- Mardin bar president, lawyer Ismail ELIK
- Mersin bar president, lawyer Bilgin YESILBOGAZ
- Mugla bar president, lawyer Cumhur UZUN
- Mus bar president, lawyer Feridun TAS
- Ordu bar president, lawyer Haluk Murat POYRAZ
- Siirt bar president, lawyer Nizam DILEK
- Sanliurfa bar president, lawyer Abdullah ÖNCEL
- Sirnak bar president, lawyer Nusirevan ELCI
- Tekirdag bar president, lawyer Sedat TEKNECI
- Tunceli bar president, lawyer Kenan CETIN
- Van bar president, lawyer Zülküf UCAR
- Yalova bar president, lawyer Fedayi DOGRUYOL
