Advocates Face “Telekinesis” Trial

Prosecutors filed lawsuits against 9 advocates for “assaulting police officers” in Istanbul Courthouse. 

Advocates Efkan Bolaç, Sinan Zincir, Hüseyin Boğatekin, Tamer Doğan, Süleyman Gökten, Ali Şafak, Zeycan Balcı Şimşek, Engin Gökoğlu and Sinan Varlık has been charged with 3 years of prison for “assaulting or threatening a state officer in order to preclude their duties” according to Turkish Penal Code Article 265/1. 

Advocates have also been accused of violating Turkey’s Public Demonstration Law (Article 2911). 

The crime has been committed on 20 January 2013, the indictment cited. 

The same day, however, advocate Efkan Bolaç was being kept under police custody at Istanbul Police Headquarters in Vatan Avenue. Remaining advocates were also at the police headquarters to defend Bolaç and other advocates. 

Delil: Police complaint 

“If they can prosecute somebody whose location is very determined, they can almost prosecute anybody whose exact whereabouts are not very clear at any given time,” advocate Bolaç told bianet. 

“These sorts of prosecutions can even be enlarged with other accusations.” 

The case indictment reportedly cited eye-witnessing of 5 police officers. 

K. Ç., a riot police officer, testified that they were attacked by a group of advocate when they weren’t allowed to meet their colleagues under detention. He went on to claim that he received coups on his legs and face. Other 4 officers came up with similar claims. 

No prosecution on assaulted advocates 

Ali Şafak, an advocate currently facing prosecution, was assaulted by riot police officers on the next day of alleged assaults. 

While Şafak filed complaints on some police officers, prosecutors said they will not press charges due to lack of medical report on the incident.   

Detained on January 18, lawyers Bolaç, Güray Dağ and Gülvin Aydın were released on January 21. 

On January 21, Contemporary Lawyers Association (ÇHD) members Selçuk Kozağaçlı, Taylan Tanay, Barkın Timtik,  Ebru Timtik, Şükriye Erden, Naciye Demir, Günay Dağ and Betül Vangölü Kozağaçlı were arrested for being a DHKP-C “illegal” organization member.(AS/BM)

* Telekinesis: The term literally means "distant-movement") with respect to strictly describing mental movement or motion of solid matter. No scientific evidence proved so far of its existence. Previously, PM Erdoğan’s new chief advisor Yiğit Bulut claimed that “some people attempted to kill PM with that technique”.