Day of the Endangered Lawyer Dedicated to Lawyers in Turkey

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The European Democratic Lawyers (AED), the European Association of Lawyers for Democracy & World Human Rights (ELDH) and the European Bar Human Rights Institute (IDHAE) dedicated the January 24 Day of the Endangered Lawyer to the lawyers in Turkey.

A report released by the ELDH mentioned the lawyers who are arrested and being tried.

Wife of lawyer Engin Gökoğlu, an arrested attorney who is mentioned in the report, told bianet, “We do not accept the unlawfulness they experience, we want to be their voice.”

The İstanbul Bar Association called for a demonstration at the Galatasaray Square on January 24, saying, “If lawyers are silenced, the citizens are silenced.”

Since January 24, 1977, when four attorneys for workers in Madrid murdered in an incident known as the “Massacre of Atocha”, January 24 every year has been commemorated as the Day of the Endangered Lawyer.

“We do not accept this unlawfulness”

Arrested lawyer Engin Gökoğlu had his arm broken in prison as a result of the violence has was subjected to. His wife Meral Yıldırım Gökoğlu told bianet that the lawyer has been left with permanent damage in his arm due to lack of treatment and does not receive physical treatment regularly.

While no action was taken for the guards who assaulted Gökoğlu, the lawyer was banned from visitation and filed a lawsuit against on the charge of “damaging public property.”

Meral Yıldırım Gökoğlu has said that as families, they do not accept this unlawfulness and want to be “the voice of the arrested lawyers.”

The İstanbul 37th Heavy Penal Court ruled for the release of the 14 lawyers on September 14, 2018. A day later, it issued an arrest warrant upon the appeal of the Prosecutor’s Office. Six of the lawyers was arrested again.

ELDH report begins with Tahir Elçi

In the report of the ELDH, which was entitled “Lawyers in Danger 2019,” Diyarbakır Bar Association’s late chair Tahir Elçi was commemorated with a message saying, “Solidarity with Turkish and Kurdish lawyers - In memory of Tahir Elçi.”

Elçi was assassinated on November 28, 2015, in southeastern Diyarbakır province.

The Day of the Endangered Lawyer was also dedicated for lawyers in Turkey in 2012.

The following lawyers were mentioned in the ELDH’s report: Ahmet Mandacı, Akın Atalay, Bülent Utku, Mustafa Kemal Güngör, Aycan Çiçek, Aytaç Ünsal, Behiç Aşçı, Buket Yılmaz, Can Tombil, Engin Gökoğlu, Eren Keskin, Halil İbrahim Vargün, Naim Feyzullah Eminoğlu, Selçuk Kozağaçlı.

Saying that lawyers are accused “just because of practising their profession,” the report stated, “The Turkish State systematically violates the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers and it is obvious that this violation has direct impacts on the right of defence.” (AS/VK)