In a significant international critique, United Nations (UN) experts have condemned Türkiye over the criminal prosecution of key figures within the Istanbul Bar Association. The charges, brought against 10 members including the association’s President, İbrahim Kaboğlu, and the arrest of board member Firat Epözdemir, arise from a statement issued by the Bar seeking an investigation into the deaths of two journalists in a conflict zone.
The UN experts decried the prosecutions as retaliatory actions for exercising free speech, framing them as a dangerous breach of freedom of expression and legal practice rights. They highlighted that utilizing the law to suppress the Bar Association is a stark contravention of international law standards, particularly given the context of an apparent democratic decline in Türkiye.
This scrutiny from international bodies comes amid broader concerns over Türkiye’s erosion of rule of law. Recently, the European Parliament recommended a continued pause on Türkiye’s EU membership talks, citing these legal and political issues. Additionally, the country faces criticism for its human rights record, including the ongoing mass trial of 189 individuals involved in protests following the detention of political figures.
Türkiye’s actions have raised alarms among human rights organizations like Human Rights Watch, which condemn the rapid and extensive nature of such prosecutions as being inconsistent with democratic principles. The broad criminalization of peaceful assembly is perceived as a violation of Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights, with historical precedence from the European Court of Human Rights ruling multiple violations against Türkiye over protester rights.
In response, the UN experts have formally communicated their concerns to Türkiye’s government, underscoring that counter-terrorism or misinformation laws should not be deployed to stifle accountability efforts. They have stressed the necessity for states to ensure that legal practitioners can operate free from intimidation and interference, as their role is fundamental to upholding the right to a fair trial.