The Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) on Thursday condemned judicial proceedings against the İstanbul Bar Association, its president İbrahim Kaboğlu and members of its board.
The CCBE, which represents more than 1 million lawyers across 46 countries, issued its statement during a Standing Committee meeting in Vienna. It criticized Turkish authorities for taking legal action against the bar association after it called for an impartial investigation into the death of two journalists. They were reportedly killed by a Turkish drone strike while covering clashes between Turkey-backed militia and US-backed Kurdish fighters in northern Syria. The council also urged adherence to international humanitarian law.
The CCBE expressed deep concern over criminal charges against 10 members of the bar association’s board in addition to Kaboğlu, all of whom are accused of “disseminating the propaganda of a terrorist organization” and “publicly disseminating misleading information through the press.”
The group also condemned the arrest and pretrial detention of Fırat Epözdemir, an executive board member of the İstanbul Bar Association, over alleged ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). He was taken into custody on January 25 at İstanbul Airport after returning from a Council of Europe meeting.
“These actions represent a severe attack on the independence of the legal profession and the institutions that represent it,” the CCBE said. “Lawyers and their representative bodies have the right to participate in public discussions on the law, the administration of justice and the protection of human rights.”
The CCBE called on Turkish authorities to drop all charges, immediately release Epözdemir and uphold international legal standards. It also urged European institutions and the broader international community to take concrete steps to protect the independence of lawyers in Turkey.
The statement followed a February 23 gathering at İstanbul’s Haliç Congress Center where more than 60 bar association presidents, leaders of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, European legal representatives, trade union officials, journalists and lawmakers rallied in support of the İstanbul Bar Association.
A key court hearing on whether to remove the İstanbul Bar’s leadership is scheduled for March 4 at the İstanbul Courthouse.
The CCBE said it will closely monitor developments, emphasizing that lawyers must be able to carry out their work without fear of retaliation, interference or harassment.
