Attorneys Ayşe Acinikli, Ramazan Demir Freed

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Attorneys Ramazan Demir and Ayşe Acinikli from the Libertarian Legists Association (ÖHD) have been released after five months of detention.

The hearing, which was held yesterday (September 7), was attended by various bar association representatives, Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MPs Filiz Kerestecioğlu, Garo Paylan, HDP Vice Chair in Charge of Legal and Human Rights Aysel Tuğluk, and lawyers from many bar associations in Europe.

İstanbul 14th Heavy Penal Court ruled release of all suspects including Demir and Acinikli. The court also imposed international travel ban on Demir and Acinikli.

The next trial will be heard on November 22.

Acinikli and Demir emphasized that they are happy to be outside yet feeling sad for their imprisoned friends, and added that they will continue fighting.

What had happened?

İrfan Arasan, Ayşe Acinikli, Hüseyin Boğatekin, Şefik Çelik, Adem Çalışcı, Ayşe Başar, Tamer Doğan, Ramazan Demir and Mustafa Rüzgar from the ÖHD were taken into custody in a house raid on March 16.

Lawyers Mustafa Rüzgar, İrfan Arasan, Ahmet Kapçan and İlkin Bulut were sent to court for judicial control, and 27 people, seven of whom are lawyers, were sent to court for arrest on March 18. Four people of whom two are lawyers sent to court for judicial control were released.

Lawyers Avukatlar Ayşe Başar, Ramazan Demir, Tamer Doğan, Adem Çalışçı, Şefik Çelik, Hüseyin Boğatekin, Ayşe Acinikli along with 20 people were released on March 19 by the court they were sent for arrest.

The prosecutor had objected against the decision of the release of 27 people of whom seven are lawyers.

The judicature ruled arrest of Nihat Daş, Cüneyt Yeşilyurt, Hıdır Maya, cemalettin Gördeğir, Ayşe Yavuz, Kayhan Tüney, Mehmet Halil Olçay, Gülistan Çelik, Faysal Karademir, Kandile Yeşilfidan, Recep Belek, Şengül Kaçar, Behçet çiçek, Kadriye nargile, Mehmet Kaçar, Mahmut Taşdan, Abdulgafur Ceber along with the four lawyers

Acinikli and Demir were arrested by the court where they had come to testify on April 6.

Upon the call by bar associations in France, lawyers from all over the world had sent postcards with Turkish messages in support of Acinikli and Demir.

In June, the Paris Bar Association enrolled Ramazan Demir and Ayşe Acinikli as honorary members. (ÇT/TK)