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The first hearing of the case, where lawyer Can Tombul from the Law Bureau of the Oppressed (EHB) has been arrested pending trial, was held at the İstanbul 35th Heavy Penal Court today (December 13).
The court board ruled that the arrest of Tombul shall continue on the ground that "the address of the person referred to as witness in the case file could not be located and there has been strong criminal suspicion against the defendant." His next hearing will be held on February 5, 2019.
The attorneys of Tombul previously requested that a foreign plea be issued for the court; a permission be obtained from the Ministry of Justice as per the Article no. 28 of the Legal Profession Act and the proceedings be halted until a reply is received from the ministry. The requests raised by the attorneys have been rejected by the court board.
The hearing held today was followed by several lawyers as well as Ahmet Ayva on behalf of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Party Assembly and legal observers from the İstanbul Bar Association.
Having been arrested on charge of "being a member of a terrorist organization", lawyer Can Tombul from the Law Bureau of the Oppressed has been arrested in Silivri Prison in İstanbul since August 3, 2018.
What happened?
Can Tombul was taken into custody in Kadıköy in İstanbul on July 31, 2018. After being held in custody for four days, he was referred to the Penal Judgeship of Peace at the İstanbul Courthouse. The judgeship ruled that Tombul shall be arrested on the ground that "there was suspicion of escape."
Tombul was also detained in January 2018 as part of an investigation conducted by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. Deposing to the Prosecutor's Office, he was released on probation.
In the 16-page indictment issued for lawyer Can Tombul, two funerals that he attended in 2013 and 2015, one statement for the press and a statement of a witness have been cited as the reasons for the charges brought against him. (TP/SD)
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