Türkiye: Acquittal of Istanbul Bar Association board “welcome news in the face of misuse of the criminal justice system”
Reacting to the decision by an Istanbul court to acquit the president and the 10 members of the executive board of the Istanbul Bar Association of terrorist propaganda charges, Esther Major, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Research in Europe said:
“The decision to acquit the Istanbul Bar Association leadership of these unfounded charges is welcome news. This case was a clear misuse of criminal law and should never have been brought in the first place.
“For years, bar associations and lawyers in Türkiye have been targeted simply for carrying out their professional duties and speaking out in defence of human rights and the rule of law. While today’s ruling brings relief, it does not erase the chilling effect these proceedings have had and the harm experienced by the individuals subjected to this.
“Türkiye’s overly broad anti-terrorism laws are open to abuse and are frequently used by the judiciary to clamp down on protected rights. These laws must be urgently reviewed and brought in line with Türkiye’s international human rights obligations, including to ensure that the domestic legal framework protects and facilitates the exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful expression, peaceful assembly and freedom of association.
