Kurdish lawyer Yusuf Özperçin has been taken into custody in Ad?yaman (Semsûr). The lawyer, who is also co-chair of the provincial DEM party, is accused of “propaganda for a terrorist organization.”
The ÖHD lawyers’ association, of which Özperçin is a member, said on Saturday that the Ad?yaman public prosecutor’s office also accuse the lawyer of “statements detrimental to the state.”
Üyemiz Av. Yusuf Özperçin devletin sava? politikas?n? protesto eden bar??ç?l ve ifade özgürlü?ü kapsam?ndaki beyanlar? suç olarak de?erlendirilemez. Av. Yusuf Özperçin derhal serbest b?rak?lmal?d?r! https://t.co/OJvspbVzWx
— ÖHD Urfa (@UrfaOhd) July 20, 2024
The ÖHD board described the accusations against Özperçin as groundless, as they were linked to criticism of the ongoing occupation operation of the Turkish army in South Kurdistan. The organization condemned the imprisonment of the lawyer and politician and said: “Peaceful and free expression of opinion against the state’s war policy must not be considered a criminal offense. Our colleague must be released immediately.”
Lawyer Özperçin was taken to a prison in Ad?yaman, and according to the ÖHD, it is still unclear whether and when charges will be brought.
The ÖHD has been victim of repression for years. The association is known for its fight for human and civil rights and mainly takes on political mandates, especially in the Kurdish provinces of the country. Lawyer Özperçin also made a name for himself as a renowned human rights defender. He represents politically active people who are persecuted because of their opposition to the government, as well as tobacco farmers who have lost their livelihood due to a law in favor of the foreign tobacco industry.
Turkey: Lawyer and DEM party provincial co-chair Özperçin taken into custody in Ad?yaman
