Human Rights Organization: 2 Rights Defenders Lawyers Detained

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Rights activist lawyers Gürkan İstekli and Hakim Peker have been detained in a house raid.

According to a statement issued by the Human Rights Organization (İHD), home of lawyer Gürkan İstekli from the Libertarian Lawyers’ Platform (ÖHP) was raided and searched by Anti-Terror Bureau police and Special Police Forces on December 14. The İHD described the raid and detention as unlawful.

The detained lawyers and the other eight people who were detained along with them were taken to İstanbul Security Directorate on Vatan Street. They were banned to see their lawyers for 24 hours.

“The charges pressed against them were about them meeting their clients and their practices in law”, the İHD stated.

Demanding release of the lawyers, the İHD said, “The defense wants to be taken under the hegemony of political authority through the increasing crack downs on the lawyers recently. The right to defense is being openly and de facto prevented”.

Lawyer İstekli was detained in Turkey’s southeastern Akçakale, Urfa on November 15. Kept in custody for 14 days, İstekli was referred to criminal judgeship of peace on duty on November 29. The court released İstekli on probation and imposed international travel ban.

Associations were closed, 19 lawyers from ÇHD and EHB were arrested

Libertarian Lawyers’ Association (ÖHD) and Progressive Legists’ Union (ÇHD) were closed through a statutory decree under the State of Emergency.

14 lawyers from ÇHD and People’s Law Bureau were arrested one month before the trial of Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça, whom they were representing.

Ahmet Mandacı was arrested 10 days later. Besides, an intern lawyer is also arrested.

On October 25, lawyers Özlem Gümüştaş and Sezin Uçar from the Law Bureau of the Oppressed (EHB) were arrested ahead of the Suruç trial they were observing.

ÇHD Chair Selçuk Kozağaçlı, who is one of the Soma trial lawyers, was arrested on November 13. (AS/TK/LN)