“We are lawyers,” Sezin Uçar says, sighing. “Obviously, there is nothing more natural than us meeting with persons under investigation or facing trial.”
A Turkish lawyer is facing charges of terrorism over meetings with her clients behind bars, and reminding other clients of their rights under custody, Mezopotamya Agency reported.
Lawyer Sezin Uçar was detained for two days last week, alongside fellow lawyer and Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) Co-chair Özlem Gümü?ta?.
Both lawyers were asked why they counselled their clients. “For instance, reminding somebody of their right to remain silent. As lawyers, our job is to seek the legal interest of our clients. Naturally, we may advise clients to exercise their right to remain silent under torture,” Uçar said.
“How many times we visited our clients in prison, whether we took plane rides with persons with criminal records, or staying in the same hotel with such persons… These are not things that could be made subject of an investigation, but they were,” she continued. “We are lawyers. Obviously, there is nothing more natural than us meeting with persons under investigation or facing trial.”
Uçar works mainly in political and union cases, which she believes is “disturbing” to the Turkish government. “They would like to torture with ease. They want to have nobody stand up for people arrested during demonstrations, that no lawyer take their cases, that no prisoners receive visitors,” she continued.
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Turkey: Lawyer accused of “associating with criminals” for client meetings
