Peace in Kurdistan Campaign protests against mass arrest of lawyers in Turkey
Peace in Kurdistan Campaign protests against mass arrest of lawyers in Turkey
In a statement on the recent detention of lawyers affiliated to the Çaðdaþ Hukukçular Derneði (ÇHD) in Istanbul on 18 January, Peace in Kurdistan Campaign demanded the immediate release of these lawyers along with all other lawyers currently held by Turkey.
Turkish police launched raids early on Friday, 18 January, against the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C), arresting 55 people, including 15 lawyers, of whom nine are members of the Progressive Lawyers Association (ÇHD).
Peace in Kurdistan Campaign underlined Once again we see the results of Turkeys severe anti-terrorism laws whose failure to distinguish between lawyers and clients end ups criminalising lawyers for carrying out their professional duties of representing their clients and pointed out that there could be little hope of lasting peace and stability in the country while lawyers persistently face prosecution for simply doing their jobs and the population in general lives under the constant threat of political intimidation for taking part in normal political activity.
The Campaign criticized Turkeys leaders for being unprepared to take the necessary measures to end protracted political conflict, not least of which is the Kurdish conflict. Turkey is effectively a country in a state of war with large communities existing under siege conditions. Such circumstances are not propitious for securing peace or for the success of any negotiations which demand goodwill on both sides as a pre-requisite for achieving lasting results, it noted.
The Peace in Kurdistan Campaign ended its statement by demanding the immediate release of these lawyers along with all other lawyers currently held by Turkey and urging their friends and supporters to write letters of protest to the Turkish Justice Ministry/Prime Minister Erdogan and the Turkish Embassy.
Turkish police launched raids early on Friday, 18 January, against the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C), arresting 55 people, including 15 lawyers, of whom nine are members of the Progressive Lawyers Association (ÇHD).
Peace in Kurdistan Campaign underlined Once again we see the results of Turkeys severe anti-terrorism laws whose failure to distinguish between lawyers and clients end ups criminalising lawyers for carrying out their professional duties of representing their clients and pointed out that there could be little hope of lasting peace and stability in the country while lawyers persistently face prosecution for simply doing their jobs and the population in general lives under the constant threat of political intimidation for taking part in normal political activity.
The Campaign criticized Turkeys leaders for being unprepared to take the necessary measures to end protracted political conflict, not least of which is the Kurdish conflict. Turkey is effectively a country in a state of war with large communities existing under siege conditions. Such circumstances are not propitious for securing peace or for the success of any negotiations which demand goodwill on both sides as a pre-requisite for achieving lasting results, it noted.
The Peace in Kurdistan Campaign ended its statement by demanding the immediate release of these lawyers along with all other lawyers currently held by Turkey and urging their friends and supporters to write letters of protest to the Turkish Justice Ministry/Prime Minister Erdogan and the Turkish Embassy.
