The International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL) supports the following petition campaign and encourages all lawyers and legal workers around the world to sign on.

It is urging an independent investigation be opened at the Office for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) regarding allegations that Turkey has used chemical weapons. A statement on this issue was previously issued by a number of organizational signatories, urging that people and organizations calling for such an investigation not be prosecuted and that OPCW member states support such an independent investigation.

With a deadline of 21 December, individual lawyers can join this campaign here

The text of the petition is below:

To Member States of OPCW:                     

Allegations that Turkey used chemical weapons should be the subject of an independent investigation.  

Serious findings, statements and images regarding the use of chemical weapons in the operations carried out by the Republic of Turkey on the territory of the Kurdistan Regional Government since 2021 are featured on social media and news channels.  According to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the states party to the convention are strictly prohibited from using chemical weapons.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is the implementing body of the Chemical Weapons Convention. We urge member states of the OPCW to request an investigation to pave the way for an independent investigation by the OPCW.