Ahmet Şık, Murat Sabuncu at Justice Watch

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Justice Watch was in front of Çağlayan Courthouse in İstanbul for Cumhuriyet Foundation Executive Board Chair Akın Atalay, who is still imprisoned as part of the Cumhuriyet trial on its 50th week.

The statement for the press of Justice Watch was made by Murat Sabuncu and Ahmet Şık, who were released last week.

Sabuncu: You’ve become source of breath to us

“We know that solidarity is not just for us. You’ve acted in solidarity for freedom of expression as well as all who are behind bars. Lawyers have become a source of breath to us and you are also source of breath to Turkey. You demanded law for everyone with no exception.

“I am glad you exist, thank you very much. I hope we will take Akın Atalay too from that place”.

Şık: We were free in prison too, now we’re released

Speaking after Sabuncu, Şık briefly said:

“You’ve insisted on ‘justice’ for 50 weeks despite all crackdowns and preventions. You’ve demanded justice for all journalists, legists, academics, politicians and citizens who are unjustly kept in prison.

“When you take law out of a state, what remains is not called a ‘state’ but a ‘gang’. Your voice was giving me power when I was in Silivri Prison which turned into a symbol of fascism period.

“We were free in prison too, now we’re released. We will not surrender to darkness. We will not submit or bow the knee”.