Lawyer on Trial for 'Insulting the President' After Justice Ministry Approved Its Own Complaint

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A lawsuit has been filed against attorney Özgür Urfa for "insulting the president" over his words in a petition he submitted to the Kırklareli 3rd Penal Court of Peace on October 2, 2014, at a time when Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was not the president but the prime minister.

The criminal complaint was filed by the Ministry of Justice General Directorate of Law Affairs.

According to Article 58 of the Law on Attorneyship, "Investigations on the offenses committed by attorneys that arise from their attorneyship or duties at the Union of Turkish Bar Associations or at the organs of bar associations are conducted by the Public Prosecutor upon permission by the Ministry of Justice."

Therefore, the permission of the Ministry of Justice was needed to open an investigation against attorney Urfa.

Ministry of Justice General Directorate of Penal Affairs first allowed an investigation and then a lawsuit against the attorney

The first hearing of the case will be held on December 3, at 9.30 a.m. at the İstanbul 4th Heavy Penal Court. (AS/VK)