The first hearing of 22 lawyers from the ÇHD (Association of Contemporary Lawyers), 9 of them in custody, has begun. Before the hearing commenced there were strict ssecurity precautions taken around the courthouse in Silivri. Hundreds of lawyers are at the trial to defend their colleagues.

The case against 22 lawyers from the ÇHD, arrested in an operation allegedly carried out against the "DHKP-C", started at Istanbul 23rd High Criminal Court building opposite the Silivri prison. Hundreds of lawyers travelled from Istanbul to defend their colleagues who are in custody. Vehicles carrying lawyers and relatives of the accused were stopped and searched by gendarmes on the junction of the E5 highway.

The gendarmes attempted to carry out identity checks of those on buses going to the court, but following objections the lawyers and families of those in custody were allowed to enter the court complex.

In addition to the hundreds of lawyers acting as defence counsel, HDP co-chair Sabahat Tuncel, BDP deputy co-chair Meral Danış Beştaş, CHP Deputy President Sezgin Tanrıkulu, CHP MPs Süleyman Çelebi and İlhan Cihaner  and many relatives of those in custody attended the hearing. The President of the Istanbul Bar Association, Ümit Kocasakal, and Metin Fevzioğlu, the President of the Federation of Turkish Bar Associations also attended the hearing, which was also covered by many journalists and reporters.