First International Fair Trial Day to be held in the memory of Ebru Timtik

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The first International Fair Trial will be held today (June 14) in the memory of lawyer Ebru Timtik, who lost her life on August 27, 2020, following a 238-day death fast demanding a fair trial.

In February, lawyers organizations and bar associations from European countries declared June 14 International Fair Trial Day. They will grant an award on this day in memory of lawyer Ebru Timtik.

The day will be marked with an online event starting at 4 p.m. with the attendance of 95 international groups of lawyers, judges, journalists and others.

Zoom link for the event

Speaking to bianet on behalf of the organizations, lawyer Ceren Uysal told bianet in February that "What has set us all in motion is the passing of Ebru."

"After a lawyer had to lay down her life for the right to a fair trial, we have felt responsible to raise this struggle waged for such a fundamental right. We have come together, thinking that a step needs to be taken so that no one has to die for their right to a fair trial in other geographies."

Every year on June 14, a conference will be held, either online or at a physical location in a country chosen because of the level of concern with regard to the lack of respect for fair trial rights in that jurisdiction at that time.

The steering group consisting of the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE), European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights (ELDH), European Bars Federation (FBE), European Democratic Lawyers (EDL-AED), French National Bar Council (CNB), International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL), International Association of Lawyers (UIA), International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), Italian National Bar Council (CNF), Law Society of England and Wales, Lawyers for Lawyers (L4L), Ayşe Bingöl Demir and Şerife Ceren Uysal had agreed that the first conference would be held as a virtual event on June 14, 2021, and will focus on fair trial rights in Turkey.

What happened?

On a death fast for her right to a fair trial, arrested lawyer Ebru Timtik lost her life on the 238th day of her death fast at Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital in İstanbul on August 27, 2020.

After arrested lawyer Aytaç Ünsal, also on a death fast, was released on probation by the Court of Cassation, he ended his death fast on September 4 and accepted treatment by independent physicians.

Examining the conviction of the ÇHD Lawyers, the 16th Penal Chamber of the Court of Cassation upheld all verdicts, except for the ones given for Barkın Timtik, Selçuk Kozağaçlı and Ezgi Çakır.

The Court of Cassation indicated that as Ebru Timtik lost her life, there was no ground for handing down a ruling in her case. It was ruled that the execution of lawyer Aytaç Ünsal's prison sentence should be deferred until his treatment was completed; however, he has been arrested. (AS/VK)