Criminalisation of Lawyers in Turkey- Report by ÖHD (Lawyers for Freedom) and Diyarbakir Lawyers’ Bar Association

In the morning hours of the 25th of April 2023, during a wide police operation, 191 people, including 25 lawyers and other members of civil society in Turkey were arrested and their houses searched. Of the 25 lawyers initially arrested, 16 have been released under judicial control, following deposition and interrogation procedures. 4 lawyers are […]

Turkey’s terror list: An attack on lawyers and human rights

The undersigned organisations deplore the recent arbitrary designation of Günay Dağ as a “terrorist”. Günay Dağ is a lawyer at the International Bureau of the People’s Law Office and a member of the Progressive Lawyers’ Association (ÇHD). On 30 December 2022, he was added to the list called “list of wanted terrorists” published on the […]

THE AFGHANISTAN REPORT

This year, the International Day of the Endangered Lawyer focusses on Afghanistan. As set forth below, the situation confronting Afghan lawyers today is extremely dire. This report first outlines the applicable legal framework, highlighting the United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers. Next, the report describes the situation of the justice system and […]

Turkey: Closure case against political party looms

Trial is an assault on political opposition and democratic norms before elections [Istanbul: January 9, 2023] Current efforts to dissolve the second-largest opposition party in Turkey’s parliament ahead of parliamentary and presidential elections are the latest in a deeply problematic practice in Turkey of forcing the closure of political parties, a group of 10 international […]

The world is watching

Delegation of 60+ International Trial Observers Condemns Court Judgment in Decade-Long Criminal Prosecution of 21 Lawyers from ÇHD (Progressive Lawyers Association) and HHB (People’s Law Office): Delegation Warns That “The World is Watching” This week, we – more than 60 lawyers from 9 countries representing more than 30 bar associations, NGOs and professional lawyers’ associations […]

Massive Espionage on seven Spanish Lawyers using the Pegasus programme

TO THE OBSERVATOIRE INTERNATIONAL DES AVOCATS EN DANGER (OIAD) INFORMATION ON MASSIVE ESPIONAGE PERPETRATED ON SEVEN SPANISH LAWYERS USING THE PEGASUS PROGRAM The indiscriminate ‘hacking’ using the PEGASUS spy program that was carried out on pro-independence politicians, has also affected seven lawyers: Gonzalo Boye Tusset, Josep Costa, Jaume Alonso Cuevillas, Andreu Van den Eyden, Joaquim […]

TO THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR THE PREVENTION OF TORTURE AND INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT (CPT)

This communication is addressed to the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT). We respectfully ask the CPT on the Day of the Lawyers in Turkey, to organize a follow-up visit to İmralı Prison and in particular to examine the government’s refusal to permit lawyers to visit their clients who are under isolation in […]