Lawyers Protest Police Violence
Thousands of lawyers from bar associations in İstanbul, Ankara, Batman, Diyarbakır, Adana, Eskişehir, Bursa, Konya, Antep, Denizli, Aydın and İzmir have protested yesterday’s detention and beating of 44 lawyers in Istanbul Courthouse.
Armored police officers intervened yesterday a group lawyers who were making a press statement on the steps of Istanbul Courthouse to protest the police violence in Taksim Square. Police detention took place as some protestor lawyer shouted slogans “Police out” and “Where is the prosecutor”. 44 lawyers have been detained by the police. Some lawyers have been reportedly battered with ripped coats and shirts.
Police transferred detained lawyers to Istanbul Police Headquarters in Vatan Avenue. Detained lawyers have been released last night upon a prosecutor’s order.
A group of lawyers have also assembled in Istanbul Courthouse this morning, protesting the police violence and forceful detention of their colleagues.
At 12:30 pm local time, Contemporary Lawyers Association and Libertarian Lawyers Association made a joint press statement at Gate C.
The statement reminded courthouses to be workplaces of lawyers and urged not to have police presence in court corridors.
At 1pm local time, Istanbul Bar Association made a press statement condemning the “police violence and unlawful detention of lawyers”.
In Ankara hundreds of lawyers assembled in Atatürk Boulevard and marched towards Kızılay Square - downtown Ankara. Other bar association across İzmir, Batman and Diyarbakır also organized demonstration to support lawyers in Istanbul. (AS/BM)