Lawyers for Lawyers has organised a trial observation and asked former President of the Amsterdam Bar Association, Hans van Veggel, to join the observation on behalf of concerned Dutch Bar Presidents.
On 7 January 2013 Ümit Kocasakal, the President of the Istanbul Bar Association and members of its board , were put on trial in Silivri. They are accused of influencing the judge during the so-called ‘Sledgehammer’-case. This case, that lasted for four years, revolved around hundreds of soldiers who allegedly planned a coup against the government of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan in 2003.
Kocasakal did not represent any clients in the case himself, but stood up for the lawyers of the defendants. The defence lawyers had for a long time been stating that they could not do their work, because they were not allowed to speak on behalf of their clients
At a hearing on 26 March 2012, after a discussion between lawyers and prosecutors about the procedure of the Sledgehammer-case, the lawyers were summoned to leave the courtroom. The judge adjourned the case and asked Kocasakal to appoint new lawyers, which he refused. At the next hearing, on 6 April, Kocasakal and the entire board of the Istanbul Bar took place in the courtroom, at the spot where the lawyers of the defendants had to sit down, and gave a speech about the alleged lack of justice in the Sledgehammer-case. In doing this, according to the prosecutor, he violated the professional conduct of lawyers, for which he can get sentenced to 2 to 4 years in prison.
Hans van Veggel, former President of the Bar Association in Amsterdam, attended the hearing on behalf of the Dutch Bar Associations. Furthermore, there were three trial observers of Lawyers for Lawyers and Fair Trial Watch. They have already attended a great amount of trials against Turkish lawyers who have been arrested.
There was no decision made by the Court on 7 January. The next hearing will take place on 24 February 2014.
