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Turkey: New Wave of Arbitrary Detentions — Lawyers Once Again Under Attack

Urgent international call for the immediate release of lawyers and ÇHD-members Atty. Ezgi Önalan, Atty.Yunus Emre Işık, Boran Işıldak, Burhan Can, Halil Arbağ and Atty. Özge Usanmaz — as well as Atty.Doğa İncesu, Atty. Semra Demir and Atty. Kürşat Bafra.

7 July 2026

We, the undersigned organizations, write to express our grave concern regarding the latest detentions inTurkey targeting lawyers, among others. We demand the immediate release of those detained and an endto arbitrary police custody.

On Sunday, 5 July 2026 further large-scale, coordinated police operations were carried out across İstanbul, Eskişehir, Antalya and İzmir. Journalists, students, academics and, once more, lawyers have been taken into custody. Among those currently detained are our colleagues of the Progressive Lawyers Association (Çağdaş Hukukçular Derneği, ÇHD) :

• Atty. Ezgi Önalan, Chair of the İstanbul Branch of ÇHD, whose door was forced open by police during her arrest;

• Atty. Yunus Emre Işık, member of ÇHD;

• Boran Işıldak and Burhan Can, members of the ÇHD İstanbul Branch Student, Intern and Worker Lawyer Commission;

• Halil Arbağ, member of the ÇHD İzmir Branch Student Commission.

Once again, the circumstances surrounding the detention of our colleagues raise concerns about violations of due process and the right to a fair defense: As in previous cases, the authorities imposed a confidentiality order (secrecy decision) on the investigation file, along with a 24-hour restriction on access to counsel. These restrictions prevent the detainees and their defense teams from accessing the specific accusations and alleged evidence against them during the critical initial phase of custody. Arbitrary and recurring measures such as these severely undermine the fundamental right to a fair trial and directly interfere with the right to defense.

These latest targeted detentions form part of a wave of arbitrary detentions carried out across Turkey in the days immediately preceding the 36th NATO Summit, to be held in Ankara on 7–8 July 2026. We note that simultaneous pre-dawn raids in Ankara and İstanbul placed three of our ÇHD-colleagues into police detention on 23 June 2026 — Atty. Doğa İncesu, Atty. Semra Demir and Atty. Kürşat Bafra. Furthermore, on 1 July 2026, Atty. Veysi Çetin, Secretary of the İzmir Branch of ÇHD, was arrested. While he was released after four days, Doğa İncesu, Semra Demir and Kürşat Bafra remain detained on remand to this day.

Additionally, on 5 July 2026, ten lawyers, who had attended the protests against the NATO summit, were taken into custody in Ankara. The following day, ÇHD-member Atty. Özge Usanmaz was arrested in Ankara. She had traveled from İstanbul to Ankara to visit some of her clients, who had been previously detained on 4 July 2026.

We therefore urgently call upon the relevant authorities to:

• Ensure the immediate and unconditional release of Ezgi Önalan, Yunus Emre Işık, Boran Işıldak,Burhan Can, Halil Arbağ, Özge Usanmaz, Doğa İncesu, Semra Demir and Kürşat Bafra, and all other individuals arbitrarily detained in connection with these recent operations;

• Guarantee full and unimpeded access to independently retained legal counsel of the detainees’ own choosing at every stage of the proceedings;• Lift any confidentiality orders imposed on the relevant investigation files, and ensure full access for defense teams to case materials and evidence;

• End the ongoing criminalization of the legal profession, and the systematic use of disproportionate force.

We further call on the international community to:

• Raise these concerns with the Turkish government through all available bilateral and multilateral channels, as well as publicly, and urge Turkey to end the use of the criminal justice system as a preemptive tool to silence civil society, the legal profession, and public discourse ahead of the 36th NATO Summit and beyond.

We stand in unwavering solidarity with our colleagues in Turkey, and will continue to monitor these developments closely.

Signatories (updated 8 July 2026):

Asociación Americana de Juristas

Associação Portuguesa de Juristas Democratas

Avocats Européens Démocrates

European Democratic Lawyers (AED-EDL)

Bologna Bar Association

Brescia Bar Association

Centro di ricerca ed elaborazione per la democrazia (CRED)

Defense Commission of the Barcelona Bar Association

Défense Sans Frontière – Avocats Solidaires (DSFAS)

Democratic Lawyers Switzerland

European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights (ELDH)

European Criminal Bar Association (ECBA)

Foundation Day of the Endangered Lawyer

GeBehatokia – Bask Country

German Bar Association (DAV)

German Federal Bar (BRAK)

Grenoble Bar Association

Human Rights Legal Project Indian Association of Lawyers

Institut des Droits de l’Homme du Barreau de MONTPELLIER (IDH)

International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL)

International Association of People’s Lawyers (IAPL)

International Association of Russian Advocates

International Observatory for Lawyers at Risk (OIAD)

Lawyers for the Rule of Law

Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada

Legal Centre Lesvos

National Lawyers Guild, International

National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL)

New York City Bar Association

Republican Lawyers’ Association (RAV)

Torino (Turin) Bar Association

Union of Peoples Lawyers in Mindanao

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Turkey: Urgent International Joint Call for the Immediate Release of Atty. Veysi Çetin and the Cessation of Arbitrary Police Custody

We, the undersigned organizations, formally express our grave concern regarding the arbitrary placement in police custody of lawyer Veysi Çetin, Secretary of the İzmir Branch of the Progressive Lawyers Association (Çağdaş Hukukçular Derneği | ÇHD). Atty. Çetin was taken into police custody on 1 July 2026, during a pre-dawn raid in Çanakkale, where he was attending an international youth event in his professional capacity upon the invitation of his clients. It is a matter of profound concern that, during this operation, Lawyer Çetin and all other attendees were subjected to the disproportionate physical measure of rear-handcuffing, a measure disproportionate to any security requirement in the circumstances. The use of such restraint raises significant concerns regarding the absolute prohibition of torture and ill- treatment under international human rights law.

The procedural circumstances surrounding Lawyer Çetin’s custody also raise grave concernsregarding the violation of due process and the right to an effective defense. Authorities have imposed a confidentiality order (secrecy decision) on the investigation file, thereby categorically obstructing the defense team’s access to the specific accusations and the alleged evidence. This arbitrary restriction severely undermines the fundamental right to a fair trial and constitutes a direct interference with the right of defense from the very inception of the legal proceedings.

This restrictive measure against Lawyer Çetin cannot be viewed as an isolated incident. It isindicative of a broader, systemic pattern of arbitrary placements in police custody observed over the past week, disproportionately targeting workers, students, legal practitioners, and members of the political opposition across multiple provinces in Turkey. The factual circumstances strongly suggest that the underlying objective of this practice of the state is the preemptive suppression of democratic assembly, anti-war advocacy, and civil society space ahead of the upcoming 36th NATO Summit, scheduled to be held in Ankara on 7–8 July 2026. Such preemptive deprivation of liberty undermines the foundational principles of a democratic society and violates the rights to personal liberty and security, freedom of expression and freedom of assembly and association.

Furthermore, we categorically condemn the ongoing criminalization of the legitimateprofessional activities of legal representatives. The United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers (the Havana Principles), specifically Article 18, expressly provides that lawyers shall not be identified with their clients or their clients’ causes as a result of discharging their professional functions. Lawyer Çetin’s attendance at the aforementioned event at the explicit request of his clients, alongside his engagement in international and public discourse, falls squarely within the scope of his professional mandate and societal responsibility. Such activities do not constitute a legal basis for criminal suspicion or placement in police custody. Attempts to confine the practice of law strictly to the courtroom contravene the establishedstandards of an independent and effective legal profession.

The arbitrary placement of lawyers in police custody, coupled with the disproportionate use of physical force, constitutes a material breach of domestic procedural safeguards and international and regional obligations, including the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

Therefore, the undersigned organizations urgently call upon the relevant authorities of theRepublic of Turkey to:

1. Ensure the immediate and unconditional release of Lawyer Veysi Çetin and all other individuals subjected to arbitrary police custody in connection with the same law enforcement operation.

2. Immediately cease the disproportionate and punitive use of police force, including the unwarranted application of rear-handcuffs on legal professionals and civilians, and ensure that all law enforcement actions comply strictly with the principles of necessity and proportionality.

3. Immediately lift the arbitrary confidentiality order imposed on the investigation file, guaranteeing Lawyer Çetin and his legal defense team full and unimpeded access to all case materials and evidence.

4. End the ongoing criminalization of the legal profession, guaranteeing that all lawyers inTurkey are fully capable of executing their professional duties without fear of intimidation, hindrance, harassment, or improper judicial interference

5. Refrain from employing the criminal justice system as a preemptive tool to silence democratic opposition, civil society actors, and public discourse ahead of the 36th NATO Summit and other international forums.

The undersigned organizations will continue to monitor these developments with the utmost vigilance. As Turkey prepares to host the NATO Summit, the eyes of the world are on the country and its human rights record, including its treatment of lawyers who work to defend fundamental rights. We reiterate our unwavering solidarity with Lawyer Veysi Çetin and our colleagues at the Progressive Lawyers Association (ÇHD) in their legitimate defense of human rights, due process, and the rule of law.

Signatories:

Avocats européens démocrates – European Democratic Lawyers (AED-EDL)

Bologna Bar Association, Italy

Bundesrechtsanwaltskammer – The German Federal Bar (BRAK)

Center for Research and Elaboration on Democracy (CRED), Italy

Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (Conseil des Barreaux Européens, CCBE)

Defense Commission of the Barcelona Bar Association

Défense Sans Frontière – Avocats Solidaires (DSF-AS), France

Deutscher Anwaltverein (German Bar Association)

European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights (ELDH)

Federation of European Bars (FBE)

Foundation Day of the Endangered Lawyer

International Association of Russian Advocates

International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI)

Monza Bar Association, Italy

National Association of Democratic Lawyers (South Africa)

2New York City Bar Association, United States

Osservatorio Avvocati Minacciati di UCPI (Endangered Lawyers Observatory of the Union of

Italian Criminal Chambers), Italy

Republican Lawyers Association (Republikanischer Anwältinnen- und Anwälteverein- RAV), Germany

Rovereto Bar Association, Italy

Swiss Democratic Lawyers

Torino (Turin) Bar Association, Italy

Vereinigung Demokratischer Jurist:innen (Association of Democratic Lawyers-VDJ), Germany

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Justice Delayed: Lawyers associations condemn the European Court of Human Rights’ Inaction on Lawyers’ Cases in Turkey

For years, these lawyers have faced politically motivated prosecutions in Turkey, marked by flagrant violations of international fair trial standards. They were arrested, tried, and convicted on charges largely derived from their professional duties as defence lawyers, such as attending human rights protests, defending political opponents, or advising clients on their right to remain silent.

Different fact-finding missions have documented grave breaches: judges and prosecutors acting under political pressure, the denial of defense rights, reliance on anonymous witnesses, and punishment of lawyers for performing their professional duties. These findings, which are consistent with reports from UN bodies and leading international NGOs, highlight a systematic erosion of the rule of law in Turkey.

The findings of these missions are not mere allegations but are corroborated by the highest human rights bodies within the Council of Europe itself. The former Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, in her official report, conducted a meticulous examination of the ÇHD trial and concluded that the court ‘rejected all requests for defence witnesses, as well as over 100 separate investigation requests… without any reasoning’ and that the very act of ‘the exercise of the profession of lawyer was considered an aggravating circumstance’ in sentencing. Most alarmingly, the Commissioner found that the conviction relied on evidence such as ‘the persons the lawyers represented’ and their ‘participation in different lawful events’, leading her to the unequivocal conclusion that these elements ‘corroborate the allegation that the legitimate professional activities of a defence lawyer can be considered as incriminating evidence’.

This authoritative finding from the Council of Europe’s own principal human rights advocate was published in 2019. It served as an unequivocal, early warning to the European Court of Human Rights that a Member State was judicializing repression and turning the practice of law into a crime.
The Commissioner’s report laid bare a trial so bereft of fairness that it contravened the most fundamental principles of the Convention. That the Court has allowed the subsequent applications from these lawyers to remain in a procedural limbo for years after such a clear and damning indictment from a sister institution is not merely a delay; it is a dereliction of duty. It signals a catastrophic failure to heed its own system’s alarms and a breach of trust with the victims, for whom the Commissioner’s words were supposed to trigger an urgent judicial response, not years of silence.

The credibility of the Court, and the hope of countless victims, hangs in the balance.

Despite the overwhelming evidence of gross violations of fair trial rights, systemic denial of due process, and politically motivated prosecutions, the Court has failed to act with the urgency demanded by the situation. The consequences of this inaction are devastating. Many of the accused lawyers remain behind bars, in prolonged pre-trial detention serving lengthy sentences handed after proceedings that blatantly contravened the European Convention on Human Rights.


Others, including Ebru Timtik, paid with their lives—she died in August 2020 after a 238-day hunger strike demanding the right to a fair trial.

Compounding this injustice is the Court’s protracted procedural inertia in these specific matters. It is a matter of profound alarm that despite applications concerning these mass trials of lawyers being lodged with the Court as far back April 2021, the process of communication—the crucial first step where the Turkish government is formally required to respond to the allegations—has yet to be initiated in numerous cases.

The initial application dated 29 April 2021 comprises complaints pertaining to (pre-trial) detention. Applications regarding the right to a fair trial were made on 15 March 2023.

This years-long delay at the very threshold of examination is indefensible and runs directly counter to the Court’s own established principles on the imperative of expeditious justice, especially where fundamental rights are at immediate risk.

The undersigned firmly denounce the unacceptable delay by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in examining the urgent cases submitted concerning the mass trials of lawyers, human rights defenders in Turkey.

The Court itself has repeatedly stressed the importance of administering justice without delays which might jeopardise its effectiveness and credibility (Scordino v. Italy (no. 1) [GC], § 224) and judged that “Long periods during which the proceedings … stagnate…” without any explanations being forthcoming are not acceptable under the provision of article 6 of the Convention (Beaumartin v. France, § 33).

Undue delay undermines the effectiveness of the right of individual petition under article 34, reducing it to a purely formal mechanism without practical consequence.
This delay has not only left individual applicants without remedy but has also emboldened the Turkish authorities to continue their repression with impunity. The Court’s prolonged silence effectively legitimizes these violations and undermines the credibility of the European human rights system as a whole. For lawyers and defenders imprisoned merely for upholding their professional responsibilities, justice delayed has become justice denied.

We recall that the Court has both the mandate and the moral duty to provide effective and prompt remedies to victims of rights violations. In the face of ongoing persecution and systematic abuse, prioritizing and expediting these cases should have been imperative. Instead, the prolonged inaction signals indifference to those for whom the European Court of Human Rights is their last recourse for justice for our collegues of the Progressive Lawyers Association (ÇHD) and the People’s Law Office (HHB).

We therefore call on the European Court of Human Rights to immediately accelerate the examination of these cases, to issue interim measures where necessary.
Anything less would amount to complicity in the erosion of fundamental freedoms, setting a dangerous precedent for Europe and beyond.

Timely examination and determination of these applications are essential to restore confidence in the Court as the final guardian of the rule of law and fundamental freedoms in Europe.

Justice delayed in this context is not merely a procedural shortcoming, delay erodes confidence in the Court itself and weakens the European system of human rights protection

The credibility of the Court, and the hope of countless victims, hangs in the balance.
Justice delayed is justice denied. The European Court of Human Rights must act now!

SIGNATURES
Arab Lawyers Association, UK
Asociación Americana de Juristas
Avocats européens démocrates – European democratic lawyers (AED – EDL)
Defense Commission of the Barcelona Bar Association
European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights (ELDH)
Foundation Day of the Endangered Lawyer
Human Rights Legal Project – Samos
International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL)
International Association of Russian Advocates
Osservatorio avvocati minacciati of Unione Camere penali italiane
Progressive Lawyers’ Association (ÇHD), Turkey
Republikanischer Anwältinnen – und Anwälteverein e.V. (RAV)
Syndicat des avocat.es de France
Syndicat des avocats pour la Démocratie
The New York City Bar Association

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Joint Statement on the Arrest and Detention of Lawyer Ruken Gülağacı

The undersigned bar associations and lawyers’ rights organisations express their deep concern over the detention of lawyer Ruken Gülağacı on 20 May 2025. On 21 May, the Criminal Peace Judgeship issued a house arrest order against Ms Gülağacı—an alarming escalation that further compounds our concern.


Ms Gülağacı is a member of the Istanbul Bar Association and an executive board member of the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (Özgürlük için Hukukçular Derneği – ÖHD), and frequently represents academics, lawyers, and Kurdish politicians. She is also an active member of the Foundation for Society and Legal Studies (TOHAV), a board member of the European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights (ELDH), and a dedicated advocate for human rights in Türkiye.


On the evening of 20 May 2025, Ms Gülağacı was arrested by police officers while visiting Kandıra Prison to meet with her client. She was detained overnight at the police station and transferred the next day to Çağlayan Courthouse, where she gave her statement before the Prosecutor at approximately 3 PM local time. According to the lawyers accompanying Ms Gülağacı, the Prosecutor’s questioning directly targeted her professional activities. She was interrogated about the clients she represents and her meetings with them—actions that are part and parcel of a lawyer’s core duties. It was evident that her lawful professional work, and by extension her right to freedom of expression and association, was being criminalised.


Following her interrogation, the Prosecutor referred Ms Gülağacı to the Criminal Peace Judgeship with a request for judicial control in the form of house arrest. A house arrest order was then issued in absentia, without her being brought before a judge, and solely on the basis of documents. No written justification was provided for this decision, in direct contradiction with Constitutional Court precedent and despite the explicit request of her defence counsel for her to appear in person. This ruling, rendered without even the minimal procedural guarantees, will be remembered as a grave breach of judicial independence and a stain on the rule of law.


We are deeply concerned that Ms Gülağacı’s arrest and ongoing restriction of liberty are directly linked to her work as a lawyer. The identification of Ms Gülağacı with her clients or their causes is a violation of international standards protecting the independence of the legal profession.


Further procedural irregularities cast doubt on the fairness of the proceedings: Ms Gülağacı was not allowed to defend herself in person before the court; and she was arrested without prior formal notification, despite being a practicing lawyer who attends court daily. These factors alone render the arrest procedure defective from the outset and raise serious concerns regarding the right to a fair trial.


These events unfold amidst a broader and troubling context. Türkiye is currently witnessing an unprecedented crackdown on the legal profession and civil society. In the wake of mass protests following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, hundreds of demonstrators have been detained, often without access to legal counsel or procedural safeguards. The legal representation of political dissidents is increasingly treated as a criminal act in itself.


The measures taken against Ms Gülağacı constitute a direct and dangerous interference with the right to legal defence, impede access to justice, and further criminalise the work of lawyers representing dissenting voices. This marks a deepening erosion of the guarantees of a fair trial and the rule of law.


As a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights, Türkiye is obligated to ensure that no one is subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention and that any deprivation of liberty is lawful and justified. Fair trial rights, including the presumption of innocence and access to legal representation, must be upheld at all times.

In line with the United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers:
• Principle 16 affirms that lawyers must be able to perform all of their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference.
• Principle 18 provides that lawyers shall not be identified with their clients or their clients’ causes as a result of discharging their functions.
We, the undersigned, call on the Turkish authorities to:
• Immediately and unconditionally lift the order of house arrest against Ruken Gülağacı and the release of all other lawyers detained solely for performing their professional duties;
• Ensure that pre-trial detention and house arrest are applied only as exceptional measures of last resort, with full respect for due process and the right to be heard before a judge;
• End all forms of harassment, intimidation, and arbitrary detention targeting lawyers, and refrain from unlawfully identifying lawyers with their clients or their clients’ political or social positions;
• Promptly sign and ratify the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer, thereby reinforcing its commitment to the international legal framework governing the independence and protection of legal professionals.

We will continue to closely monitor the case of Ms Gülağacı and the broader situation facing the legal profession in Türkiye.


Signatories:
• Asociación de Derecho Penitenciario “Rebeca Santamalia” – Estado español (ASDEPRES)
• Asociación Libre de Abogacia (ALA) (Spain)
• Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos de Andalucía (APDHA)
• Avocats Européens Démocrates – European Democratic Lawyers
• Bologna Bar Association (Italy)
• CCBE – Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe
• Cooperative of Women Lawyers in Barcelona (IACTA)
• Cyprus Democratic Lawyers Association (CDLA)
• Défense Sans Frontière – Avocats Solidaires.
• Democratic Jurists (Italy)
• Democratic Lawyers of Switzerland (DJS-JDS)
• Deutscher Anwaltverein (German Bar Association)
• European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights (ELDH)
• Euskal Herriko Giza eskubideen Behatokia ( Basque Country)
• Foundation Day of the Endangered Lawyer (the Netherlands)
• Lawyer Leonardo Arnau, the Chair of the Human Rights Committee of Consiglio Nazionale Forense (Italy)
• Il Centro di Ricerca ed Elaborazione per la Democrazia ( CRED) (Italy)
• Institut des Droits de l’Homme du Barreau de Montpellier (France)
• Institute for the Rule of Law of the Union Internationale des Avocats (UIA-IROL)
• International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL)
• International Observatory for Lawyers in Danger (OIAD)
• Lawyers for Lawyers (the Netherlands)
• Legal Centre Lesvos, (Greece)
• Legal Team Italia
• Le SAD – Syndicat des Avocats pour la Démocratie (Belgium)
• MAF-DAD – Association for Democracy and International Law e.V. (Germany)
• Osservatorio Avvocati Minacciati (Italy)
• Republikanischer Anwältinnen- und Anwälteverein (RAV e.V.) (Germany)
• Socialist Lawyers Association of Ireland
• The Defence Commission of the Barcelona Bar Association
• The Law Society of England and Wales (UK)
• The Norwegian Bar Association
• Turkey Litigation Support Project (TLSP)
• Turin Bar Association (Italy)
• Unione delle Camere Penali Italiane (UCPI)
• Vereinigung Demokratischer Juristinnen und Juristen e.V. (VDJ) (Germany)
• Vereniging Sociale Advocatuur Nederland (VSAN) (the Netherlands)

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On the Revocation of the President of the Istanbul Bar Association.

AED- EDL firmly condemns the revocation of the Istanbul Bar President İbrahim Kaboğlu, and the dissolution of the Board for alleged acts of terrorist propaganda.
 
This dissolution follows the judicial procedure initiated on January 14, 2025 by the Istanbul Prosecutor General in retaliation for the statement issued by the Bar Association on December 21, 2024 condemning the deaths of journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin, who were allegedly killed in a Turkish drone strike in northern Syria.

AED-EDL strongly recalls that professional organisations, including the Bars and Law Societies, have the right and duty to express their views on matters of public interest, in particular when they concern the rule of law and human rights.

This dissolution is an instrumentalization of legal proceedings by the Turkish authorities with the sole aim of preventing the Istanbul Bar Association from exercising its fundamental right to freedom of expression in accordance with international instruments and the principles governing the legal profession.
 
The court decision is a clear attack on the independence and functioning of the Istanbul Bar Association, an institution that plays together with the professional organisation a vital role in safeguarding human rights and defending the rule of law in Turkey.

AED-EDL urges the Turkish authorities not to implement this decision which clearly violates article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights and UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers

The AED-EDL express its full support and deepest solidarity to all the member of Istanbul Bar Association and its President who are once again facing these measures, which are a flagrant violation of international human rights law and the principles governing the legal profession.

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Turkey must do its part to achieve peace following Abdullah Öcalan’s call!

There is a historic opportunity for lasting peace for Turkey and the region. Abdullah Öcalan’s call for peace and a democratic society, shared with the public on February 27, 2025, is a critical step towards ending the long-standing conflict and violence and
initiating a democratic resolution process. This call not only carries great potential for the stability and protection of human rights in Turkey but also for the entire region.


Peace is one of the most fundamental values of humanity and is at the forefront of the universal principles that form the basis of international law. It is also an indispensable necessity for everyone to fully benefit from human rights. As a state,
Turkey must fulfil its responsibilities to its own people and the people of the region, meet its obligations arising from international law, and take the necessary steps to
establish peace.


In this process, creating conditions that will allow Abdullah Öcalan’s active participation in the peace process is of great importance. This not only ensures the protection of his fundamental rights, including the right to communicate with the
outside world and the ‘right to hope’ in response to over 25 years of imprisonment but also provides a significant opportunity for the implementation of democratization and the principles of the rule of law.


According to the United Nations Right to Peace Declaration, the establishment of peace requires ensuring equality, justice, and the supremacy of law; it necessitates building a society free from fear and deprivation, and free from discrimination. Accordingly, it is essential for Turkey to quickly review its penal laws, anti-terrorism laws, and similar regulations in the light of the decisions and recommendations of the European Court of Human Rights and international legal mechanisms, and to implement the necessary reforms. Ensuring judicial independence must be one of the cornerstones of this process. Additionally, for the achievement of societal peace, Turkish authorities need to plan and implement necessary regulations concerning political prisoners in jails.

Furthermore, cultural and social adjustments should be made in line with the necessities of a pluralistic society, and an environment where everyone has equal rights should be created.
In essence, the state of Turkey and the Turkish people are faced with a historic peace opportunity after a conflict process that has lasted 50 years. Authorities are obligated to ensure the cessation of arms and to establish an environment where the people of Turkey can enjoy peace and tranquillity with equal rights and freedoms.

We, the undersigned legal organizations, call on Turkey and all actors of peace to seize this historic opportunity and take the steps required by the peace process. Every step taken towards peace and the strengthening of human rights, justice, and democracy not only holds great importance for the future of Turkey but for the entire region as well. The construction of peace is our common responsibility. In this context, we call on all international public opinion to support the peace call and take an active role in fulfilling the requirements of this call.

There is a historic opportunity for lasting peace for Turkey and the region. Abdullah Öcalan’s call for peace and a democratic society, shared with the public on February 27, 2025, is a critical step towards ending the long-standing conflict and violence and
initiating a democratic resolution process. This call not only carries great potential for the stability and protection of human rights in Turkey but also for the entire region. Peace is one of the most fundamental values of humanity and is at the forefront of the universal principles that form the basis of international law. It is also an indispensable necessity for everyone to fully benefit from human rights. As a state, Turkey must fulfil its responsibilities to its own people and the people of the region, meet its obligations arising from international law, and take the necessary steps to establish peace.


In this process, creating conditions that will allow Abdullah Öcalan’s active participation in the peace process is of great importance. This not only ensures the protection of his fundamental rights, including the right to communicate with the
outside world and the ‘right to hope’ in response to over 25 years of imprisonment but also provides a significant opportunity for the implementation of democratization and the principles of the rule of law.


According to the United Nations Right to Peace Declaration, the establishment of peace requires ensuring equality, justice, and the supremacy of law; it necessitates building a society free from fear and deprivation, and free from discrimination.
Accordingly, it is essential for Turkey to quickly review its penal laws, anti-terrorism laws, and similar regulations in the light of the decisions and recommendations of the European Court of Human Rights and international legal mechanisms, and to
implement the necessary reforms. Ensuring judicial independence must be one of the cornerstones of this process.
Additionally, for the achievement of societal peace, Turkish authorities need to plan and implement necessary regulations concerning political prisoners in jails.


Furthermore, cultural and social adjustments should be made in line with the necessities of a pluralistic society, and an environment where everyone has equal rights should be created.
In essence, the state of Turkey and the Turkish people are faced with a historic peace opportunity after a conflict process that has lasted 50 years. Authorities are obligated to ensure the cessation of arms and to establish an environment where the people of Turkey can enjoy peace and tranquillity with equal rights and freedoms.


We, the undersigned legal organizations, call on Turkey and all actors of peace to seize this historic opportunity and take the steps required by the peace process. Every step taken towards peace and the strengthening of human rights, justice, and democracy not only holds great importance for the future of Turkey but for the entire region as well.
The construction of peace is our common responsibility. In this context, we call on all international public opinion to support the peace call and take an active role in fulfilling the requirements of this call.

Turkey must do its part to achieve peace following Abdullah Öcalan’s call!

Asociación Americana de Juristas
Association for Democracy and International Law (Maf-Dad)
Democratic Jurists, Italy (Giuristi Democratici)
European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights (ELDH)
European Democratic Lawyers (AED)
Giza Eskubideen Behatokia (Observatory of Human Rights) Basque Country
International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI)
Legal Centre Lesvos
Legal Team Italia
National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL), Philippines
Socialist Lawyers Association of Ireland
Swiss Democratic Lawyers
The Defence Commission of the Barcelona Bar
The National Association of Democratic Lawyers (South Africa)

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-Joint Statement – The International Legal Community Condemns the Detention of Attorney Şiar Rişvanoğlu

The undersigned organizations vehemently condemn the detention of Attorney Şiar Rişvanoğlu, who is registered with the Adana Bar Association and a member of the Progressive Lawyers Association (ÇHD), following a police raid on his residence and subsequent arrest at the Çukurova airport in Tarsus.

On the morning of 26 November 2024, authorities executed a raid at Attorney Rişvanoğlu’s home without his presence, as he was traveling by plane. Subsequently, he was detained directly from the Çukurova airport upon his arrival. Notably, the raid was conducted without the presence or oversight of a prosecutor or representative from the Adana Bar Association and was only witnessed by a local community leader. A confidentiality order was promptly issued, and Attorney Rişvanoğlu was subjected to a 24-hour restriction on communication with his defense team, complicating his right to a fair defense.

Attorney Rişvanoğlu’s health remains stable, and there have been no reports of mistreatment. However, the charges against him purportedly relate to membership of a ‘terrorist’ organization, and the circumstances surrounding his detention raise significant concerns regarding adherence to legal norms and human rights.

As a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and European Convention on Human Rights, Turkey has an obligation to ensure, inter alia, that no-one is subject to arbitrary arrest or detention.

Furthermore, in accordance with international standards, lawyers must be able to perform all their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference; and shall not suffer, or be threatened with, prosecution or administrative, economic or other sanctions for any action taken in accordance with recognised professional duties, standards and ethics.

The arrest and detention of Attorney Rişvanoğlu are a clear violation of his human rights, including the right to a fair trial and must cease immediately. His rights must be safeguarded; he must be treated fairly and have full access to his lawyers.

Therefore, the undersigned organizations urge the Turkish authorities to: 1. Release Attorney Şiar Rişvanoğlu immediately.

  1. Immediately and unconditionally ensure that Attorney Şiar Rişvanoğlu is afforded a fair trial and that his legal rights are fully respected, including access to his legal team and disclosure of the accusations against him.
  2. Takeallnecessarymeasurestoguaranteetherightstodueprocessandaccessto justice for Attorney Şiar Rişvanoğlu.
  3. Guarantee,inallcircumstances,thatalllawyersinTurkeyareabletocarryout their professional duties without fear of reprisals, undue restrictions, or judicial harassment, in compliance with the United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers.
  4. Ensure the rights of persons deprived of their liberty are respected at all times.

The undersigned organizations remind the prosecution office, relevant court and the Turkish authorities that the international community is closely monitoring the treatment of legal professionals in Turkey. The actions taken against Attorney Şiar Rişvanoğlu not only affect him but also impact the broader perception of justice and rule of law within the country.

The undersigned organizations will observe the ongoing process with strong attention.

AED-EDL (European Democratic Lawyers)

Centro di ricerca ed elaborazione per la democrazia

Syndicat des Avocats pour la Démocratie

The Law Society of England and Wales

Consiglio dell’Ordine degli Avvocati di Torino – Italia

International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI)

Legal Team Italia

VSAN (Association of Social Lawyers in the Netherlands)

Giuristi Democratici – Italy

Institut des Droits de l’Homme Barreau de Montpellier

Lawyers for Lawyers

Comissió de Defensa de l’Il·lustre Col·legi de l’Advocacia de Barcelona

European Association of Lawyers for Democracy & World Human Rights (ELDH)

International Association of People’s Lawyers (IAPL)

Republikanischer Anwältinnen- und Anwälteverein (RAV e.V.)

Vereinigung Demokratischer Juristinnen und Juristen e.V. (VDJ)

Deutscher Anwaltverein e.V.

Institut des Droits de L’Homme du Barreau de Bordeaux

Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers

Unione delle Camere Penali Italiane, Italia

International Association of Democratic Lawyers

Basque Country Observatory of Human Rights

Défense Sans Frontière – Avocats Solidaires

the Dutch League for Human Rights.

Swiss Democratic Lawyers

Berlin Bar Association

International Observatory for Lawyers in Danger (OIAD)

Avocats sans frontières

Asociación Americana de Juristas

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On the arrest of lawyer Berdirhan Sarsılmaz

We, the AED-EDL European Lawyers’ Association, have come to know that on the 25th of October, lawyer Bedirhan Sarsılmaz was taken into custody. At the moment of his detention, lawyer Bedirhan Sarsılmaz, had just finished his plea as part of the defense counsel of his client and was exercising his profession.

Lawyer Bedirhan Sarsılmaz of the Istanbul bar association, is member of the ÖHD, an Association of Lawyers for Freedom, member organization of the AED-EDL, a confederation of lawyers’ associations sharing the same democratic ideals: to defend the rights of citizens by preserving the independence of lawyers.

The AED-EDL condemns this arrest, which is in clear violation with the fundamental principles of law and a direct intervention in the right of the defense as set out in the Havana Principles of 1990. These Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers were adopted to protect lawyers during the exercise of their profession. The principles further provide, “Lawyers shall not be identified with their clients or their clients’ causes as a result of discharging their functions.”

The AED-EDL considers the conditions of arrest of our colleague Bedirhan Sarsılmaz unacceptable and asks for his immediate release. We will continue to follow with attention.

Wednesday, 31st October 2024
Madrid, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Rome, Brussels, Athens

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Selçuk Kozağaçlı’s honorary presidency

The General Assembly of the European Democratic Lawyers (AED), which took place on February 16-17 2024, marked the beginning of a new era in the fight for fundamental principles such as the rule of law, human rights, and fair trial.

During this critical period, for the first time in the history of AED, a figure who had not previously served as president, Lawyer Selçuk Kozağaçlı, was elected as honorary president. Despite being unjustly and arbitrarily detained, Selçuk Kozağaçlı never wavered in his fight for justice. His imprisonment did not shake his determination and belief; on the contrary, it further strengthened the struggle for justice and freedom among many legal professionals.

Selçuk Kozağaçlı’s honorary presidency will clarify and strengthen AED’s path, which is based on the supremacy of law and the commitment to defending human rights. According to Selçuk Kozağaçlı, “Whether defendant or defense counsel, every lawyer in the courtroom is proof that this noble profession does not surrender to fascism, its underground judiciary, or its corrupt law.”

Our resistance against oppression, injustice, and tyranny will continue until victory is achieved!

Marseille, February 16-17, 2024

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Report of an Independent International Fact-finding Mission to Turkey examining the Treatment of Lawyers Deprived of their Liberty and Observing Trial Proceedings 6-10 November 2023

Between 6 and 10 November 2023, an international delegation representing 27 law societies, bar associations, human rights groups and legal groups undertook a fact-finding mission to Turkey to interview eight lawyers who have been arrested and detained in circumstances that raise a range of human rights concerns.
The delegation also observed two court hearings, the first concerning the criminal proceedings against twelve lawyers who are members of the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) and the second a review hearing for the pre-trial detention of Ms Gülhan Kaya, a prominent
human rights lawyer.
The aim of the mission was to gather first-hand information on the circumstances of the arrest, imprisonment and trial of the lawyers, and their conditions and treatment in detention, and to assess these against Turkey’s obligations under international human rights law and customary law. The delegation also paid their respects at the grave of Ebru Timtik—a lawyer who died in detention in 2020 during a hunger strike in pursuit of the right to a fair trial.
The mission was undertaken due to concerns that lawyers in Turkey have faced interference when practicing their profession and have been identified with their clients and their client’s causes. This has resulted in many lawyers being subjected to intimidation, harassment,
arbitrary arrest and detention, unfair trials, torture and other ill-treatment. This has taken place in the context of a crackdown on human rights by the government in the aftermath of a failed
military coup attempt in July 2016. Following this event, the government declared a state of emergency, lasting two years, during which it suspended, detained, or fired nearly one-third of
the judiciary, who were accused of affiliation with the Gülen movement alleged to have been behind the attempted coup.
The Government has been using overly broad anti-terror laws to restrict a range of fundamental human rights including the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association. Lawyers and human rights defenders have found themselves targeted under
these laws, including being charged with terrorism offences when taking on human rights cases and conducting their professional duties and advocacy.
The lawyers interviewed during the mission are part of a larger group of lawyers who have been prosecuted on various charges including “being a member of a terrorist organisation” and making “terrorist propaganda”. These lawyers are members of Ҫağdaş Hukukçular Derneği (ҪHD) – the Progressive Lawyers Association, whose legal services involve human
rights cases, including the representation of clients who are critical of the government of Turkey. ҪHD was dissolved by governmental decree on 22 November 2016, however the association members remained active. In October 2019 it was reopened, but a case was initiated to close it once more. The ҪHD was finally re-established in 2022. Most have also worked at the Halkın Hukuk Bürosu (HHB) – the Peoples` Law Office. The lawyers have been prosecuted in mass trials commonly known as the ÇHD I and ÇHD II trials.
The ÇHD I trial started in 2013, when 22 lawyers, who were ÇHD members, were arrested and charged with offences under anti-terrorism legislation. In 2017, a second criminal case was filed, the ÇHD II trial, against 20 lawyers. Eight of the lawyers in the second trial, namely
Oya Aslan, Naciye Demir, Günay Dağ, Şükriye Erden, Barkın Timtik, Selcuk Kozağaclı, Ebru Timtik, and Özgur Yılmaz, had also faced prosecution in the first trial. Both cases are based on the same evidence and charges, raising concerns that these trials violate the ne bis in idem
principle – the right not to be tried repeatedly on the basis of the same offence, act, or facts.

Read the full statement: Fact-finding mission