Antalya Bar Chair files a criminal complaint against Interior Minister Soylu

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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Antalya Bar Association Chair Polat Balkan has filed a criminal complaint against Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu, Governor of Ankara Vasip Şahin and the law enforcement officers for preventing the bar association chairs from entering the capital city of Ankara as part of their "Defense March."

Appealing to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, Balkan has complained about Soylu, Şahin and security forces on duty in the area for "deprivation of liberty" and "torture and ill treatment."

As reported by the Mezopotamya Agency (MA), the petition of the Antalya Bar Chair has noted that while the bar association chairs were surrounded by police and barricades under heavy rain, they were prevented from getting aid from outside and were not even allowed to go to the bathroom.

CLICK - Lawyers prevented from entering Ankara: 'This is total lawlessness'

Balkan has stressed that they were deprived of their liberty as they were surrounded by barricades and they were subjected to torture and ill treatment as they were prevented from getting help and meeting their needs.

Noting that the entire country and the world saw how bar chairs were treated, Balkan has requested that his criminal complaint be put in process. "Those who gave orders against the Constitution and the ones who implemented those orders need to be penalized," he has indicated further.

What happened?

Protesting the amendments planned to be introduced to the Attorneys' Act by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and allying Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the chairs of several bar associations of Turkey started a march to the capital city of Ankara on June 19.

However, on June 21, they were blocked at the entrance of Ankara, where they had to spend the night behind police barricades and under heavy rain. Bar chairs were kept waiting there for 26 hours.

After former Union of Turkish Bar Associations (TBB) Chair Önder Sav met with Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu and the bar chairs announced that "they would call on all lawyers across Turkey to come to Ankara," they were allowed to enter the city on June 23 and ended the march.

CLICK - Bar chairs said 'We will call on all lawyers to come to Ankara,' barricades removed

The amendment in question reportedly foresees that a province can have more than one bar association, which is currently not the case. (TP/SD)