Opposition lawyers detained during Turkey's governmental suppression efforts
In the past year, Turkey's legal sector has been embroiled in a series of contentious cases, with several high-profile figures finding themselves in the dock. One of the most notable figures is Ekrem Imamoglu, Istanbul's mayor, who was jailed in March as part of a graft investigation. Six months on, there are still no formal charges against him.
The case against Imamoglu's defence lawyer, Mehmet Pehlivan, also resumed in court recently. Pehlivan was jailed for representing Imamoglu, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing saga. Pehlivan's own lawyer was arrested shortly after, denouncing the move as "intimidation."
The case against the Istanbul Bar Association also resumed in court this week. The executive board, including Ibrahim Kaboglu, head of the Istanbul bar association, are facing legal action after being dismissed in March. The case stems from the board's demand for an investigation into the deaths of two Turkish journalists of Kurdish origin. Twelve legal and human rights organizations have denounced the case as a "direct assault" on the independence of the legal profession.
The arrest of Imamoglu triggered Turkey's worst street protests in years, and the unrest has not abated. At least 10 defence and human rights lawyers have been jailed or arrested in Istanbul since the start of this "black year." Goksel Akbaba, one of the arrested lawyers, stated that the increase in lawyers being detained is due to pressure and attacks on Turkish civil society as a whole.
The situation is not limited to Istanbul. Lawyers outside the city are also being detained, specifically seven in Izmir, Turkey's third city. Many lawyers have been accused of the same alleged charges as their clients, using broadbrush anti-terror legislation widely criticized by human rights groups.
The Turkish government is reportedly attempting to bring the legal profession to heel, as indicated by the case against the Istanbul Bar Association. In April, an international coalition of lawyers, bar associations, and rights groups raised concerns over Ankara's "escalating attacks" on the legal profession. Ebru Timtik, a lawyer who was jailed for "belonging to a terror organization," died in an Istanbul prison after a months-long hunger strike in August 2020.
The Turkish military denies targeting civilians in the case of the two killed journalists. However, the ongoing arrests and trials of lawyers have raised questions about freedom of speech and the rule of law in Turkey. Kaboglu stated that Turkish lawyers are facing unprecedented pressure, and the situation shows no signs of abating anytime soon.
