Death fasting lawyers taken to Forensic Medicine Institution for examination
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Death fasting lawyers Aytaç Ünsal and Ebru Timtik were taken to the İstanbul Forensic Medicine Institution (ATK) in the morning.
Both lawyers were taken to the institution with an ambulance attorney Çiğdem Akbulut told bianet.
Last night (July 28), Ünsal was transferred from Burhaniye Prison to Silivri Prison, where Timtik was held.
The lawyers' request for release will be evaluated after the ATK's report.
Accepting an application by the arrested lawyers, İstanbul 37th Heavy Penal Court had decided that an examination to be carried out at the ATK to determine whether their health condition is suitable for staying in prison.
Demanding a "fair trial," Ünsal and Timtik have been on a death fast for 178 days and 209 days, respectively. The Progressive Lawyers' Association (ÇHD) case is currently under examination at the Court of Cassation 16th Penal Chamber.
"We are racing against hours now"
At the "Justice Watch" demonstration in front of the İstanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan today, lawyers demanded a release verdict:
"Lawyer Ebru Timtik fell to 35 kilos, Lawyer Aytaç Ünsal fell to 55 kilos. Their health deteriorates a little more each day. The effects of holding them in prison for one more day have reached an unrecoverable level.
"They were referred to the Forensic Medicine Institution this morning. Now we want the report to be released from there and the İstanbul 37th Heavy Penal Court to give a decision to give a decision without losing time. We are racing against not days, but hours now. The feast holiday will start as of tomorrow noon and we have less than 24 hours.
"For the approval of their request, dozens of our colleagues and more than 30 bar association chairs from Luxembourg to Pisa, from Paris to Sofia, applied to the court. Just two days ago, the Bologna Bar announced that they accepted Ebru and Aytaç as honorary members of the Human Rights and International Relations Commission. This means a lot.
"As soon as the referral decision was given and announced on Monday, our colleagues began sending faxes to the 37th Heavy Penal court. Nearly 100 petitions came after less than 36 hours had passed since the call.
"European Bar Associations Federation Chair, a member of Italian Bar Associations Union Board, Nanesi Bar Association Chair, Torino Bar Association Chair, ELDH Chair and Secretary-General, AED Chair and Secretary-General, IADL Chair and Secretary-General, Lawyer for Lawyers Chair, France FDS Chair are among those who sent a petition.
"Lawyers from Palestine to South Korea want the immediate release of Ebru and Aytaç."
What happened?
Announcing its verdict in the lawsuit filed against ÇHD lawyers on March 20, the court ruled that the lawyers should be sentenced to 3 years, 1 month, 15 days to 18 years, 9 months in prison.
The 2nd Penal Chamber of the İstanbul Regional Court of Justice rejected the objections and sent the file to the Court of Cassation.
The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office of the Court of Cassation expressed the opinion that the prison sentences of all lawyers, except for the one given to lawyer Barkın Timtik, be upheld.
The letter of notification only indicated that the prison sentence of 18 years, 9 months given to Barkın Timtik for "establishing and leading an organization" as per the Article 314/1 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) should be overturned and he should also be penalized for "membership of an organization" like other lawyers.
The letter of notification issued by the prosecutor's office has been sent to the 16th Penal Chamber of the Court of Cassation.
Lawyer Ebru Timtik, an executive of the ÇHD, and lawyer Aytaç Ünsal, a member of the ÇHD, have gone on a death fast for the right to a fair trial.