Turkey L4L monitors another hearing in ‘Lawyers trial’
On 3 January 2013, the trial against 46 lawyers who are suspected of having ties with the Union of Communities in Kurdistan (KCK) continued in Silivri, Turkey.
On November 22, 2011, a broad campaign of arrests was launched in 16 cities targeting 46 lawyers, in the context of the case against the Koma Civakên Kurdistan (KCK, Union of Communities in Kurdistan). The Turkish authorities regard the KCK as the local branch of the banned Kurdish labour party PKK. The majority of the suspected lawyers is (or was) involved in the defence of Abdullah Öcalan. They are accused of “working for, or belonging to, a terrorist organisation.”
L4L was again, together with many other international organizations and many Bar Associations, present to observe the hearings in the trial. The lawyers of the accused pleaded for the release of the 27 lawyers that are still being held on remand. This resulted in the release of one of the accused lawyers.
The next hearing is scheduled on 28 March 2013. L4L is monitoring the situation closely and is deliberating on the actions to be taken to uphold the international pressure on Turkey.