Kozağaçlı Among Four Attorneys Detained in Police Raid, Released

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Legal Bureau of the People (HHB) in Ankara was raided yesterday (November 21) the second time this week. The President of Progressive Legists' Association (ÇHD) Selçuk Kozağaçlı, attorneys Engin Gökoğlu, Didem Baydar Ünsal and Ayşegül Çağatay were taken into custody.

The attorneys were released yesterday at 10 p.m

Ministry of Interior had ordered 370 foundations to stop their activities on November 11. Legal Bureau of the People, which was on the same building as the Justice School Foundation, was raided on the same day by Special Operations Directorate and Riot Squat forces. Attorneys and deputies were beaten. İstanbul and Ankara offices of Progressive Legists' Association were sealed.

Yesterday afternoon, the police raided the building for the second time this week.

Despite bar association and court decision

In a statement he held before being taken into custody, Selçuk Kozağaçlı had stated that they had shown the police the decisions of Ankara Bar Association and the Criminal Court of Peace in charge, and explained them that their practice was unlawful.

Kozağaçlı added that they would not allow their office to be sealed with an administrative procedure when the court decision and the decision of the bar association required the opposite.

The attorneys were released yesterday at 10 p.m. (AS/DG)