Ebru Timtik and Aytaç Ünsal are lawyers of the left-wing association "People's Legal Bureau" (Halkın Hukuk Bürosu) and went on hunger strike together with other imprisoned colleagues in February, which they turned into a "death fast" on April 5th - the "Day of Lawyers". In the complex of proceedings against alleged members of the DHKP-C, the lawyers were sentenced to long prison sentences according to terrorism laws due to contradictory statements of a key witness. With their action they demand a fair trial.

On August 14, the Constitutional Court of Turkey rejected a request for the release of Ebru Timtik and Aytaç Ünsal as a precautionary measure. Ignoring the fact that the two lawyers have already passed the critical critical threshold value, the Court claimed that “there is no information or finding available regarding the emergence of a critical danger for their lives or their moral and material integrity with the rejection of the request for their release.”

The People’s Legal Bureau announced the death of Timtik early Thursday evening. Timtik lost her life on day 238 of death fast at the Dr. Sadi Konuk Hospital in Bakırköy district of Istanbul where she was held against her will. Her body was then taken to the Forensic Medicine Institute (ATK) in Yenibosna district.

In the meantime, Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has rejected a request for Timtik’s sister Barkın Timtik, who is also a lawyer and jailed in Silivri Prison, to attend the funeral. The prosecutor cited the pandemic in rejecting the request.

Police forces have earlier today attacked the relatives, friends and supporters of Timtik who were waiting in front of the ATK to get the body. The people were prevented from reclaiming the body and some lawyers were also battered during the crackdown.

The funeral coach was then abducted by the police and taken to the Cemevi (Alevi place of worship) in the Gazi neighborhood under a police siege with armored vehicles in an attempt to prevent people from gathering for funeral.

Despite the massive police harassment, Timtik’s family, relatives, colleagues, friends and supporters marched from the Cemevi to the cemetery to bid farewell to the 42-year-old lawyer. Journalists were allowed to attend the funeral only on condition of leaving their cameras outside. Those present included HDP deputies Musa Piroğlu, Dilşat Canbaz Kaya, independent deputy Ahmet Şık and representatives of numerous political parties and civil society organizations.

Timtik’s coffin, covered with her robe and carnations, was shouldered by women on the way to the cemetery. The funeral with prayers of the Alevi faith continued with speeches which all promised to enhance Timtik’s struggle and to build the world she dreamed of.

Following a minute’s silence in memory of martyrs of revolution, Grup Yorum members sang Timtik’s favorite folk songs amid slogans “Revolutionary lawyers are our honor”, “Ebru Timtik is immortal” and “Murderer state will give an account”.

In the meantime, police forces staged a crackdown on the crowd and attacked the participants of the funeral. Lawyers were also battered during the police attack which did not obstruct the march to the cemetery.

Timtik was laid to rest in her robe to the accompaniment of folk songs and lamentations and the message given by those present: “revolutionary lawyers will not give in”.

Following the burial, police attacked the crowd once again and detained six people, including a client of Ebru Timtik, Eser Çelik.

Timtik is the fourth person from the DHKP-C trial who died this year as a result of a death fast. Helin Bölek, soloist of the music band Grup Yorum, died on April 3. She had refused to eat for 288 days in protest against the imprisonment of other band members and a ban on concerts by Grup Yorum. On May 7, Grup Yorum bassist Ibrahim Gökçek died after a 323-day hunger strike. Prior to this, political prisoner Mustafa Koçak had died on April 24 as a result of a 296-day food deprivation.