Sentencing of two lawyers in UAE
Türkiye
On 12 December, Lawyers for Lawyers called on the authorities of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to immediately release Vahit Aykut Ergil and Abdulmetin Uraçin, both lawyers from Turkey. We have reason to believe that their conviction might be connected to their legitimate activities as attorney.
According to our information, on 27 October 2016, Vahit Aykut Ergil and Abdulmetin Uraçin were arrested on charges of ‘forgery of documents’. The arrest took place when they tried to submit a document of one of their clients to a bank, where the staff suspected the document to be forged. Vahit Aykut Ergil and Abdulmetin Uraçin were detained for three days at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Abu Dhabi, and were on 30 October 2016 transferred to the Al Wathba Prison on Abu Dhabi. We have been informed that they are held under bad prison conditions. The first hearing in the case against them took place on 6 December 2016 at the Abu Dhabi Courthouse. They were both convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment. According to our information, both lawyers appealed.
Lawyers for Lawyers continues to closely monitor the situation of lawyers Vahit Aykut Ergil and Abdulmetin Uraçin.
UPDATE:
Lawyers for Lawyers was pleased to learn that in appeal the Supreme Court subsequently found on 8 January 2017 that the lawyers were innocent and ordered their release. They have returned to Turkey.