United Nations human rights special rapporteurs have raised serious concerns over the imprisonment and mistreatment of human rights lawyers in Turkey and expressed concern that the charges against them were politically motivated and that they have been subject to unfair trials and mistreatment in prison.
In a letter dated December 13 and made public on Monday, three UN special rapporteurs expressed “serious concern” over the imprisonment of members of the Progressive Lawyers’ Association (ÇHD), a group that defends victims of police violence and political repression, and other rights defenders, including Özgür Y?lmaz, Behiç A?ç?, Engin Göko?lu, Süleyman Gökten, Bark?n Timtik, Selçuk Koza?açl?, Oya Aslan, Aytaç Ünsal and Turan Canpolat.
Rapporteurs Mary Lawlor (Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders), Ben Saul (Special Rapporteur on human rights while countering terrorism) and Alice Jill Edwards (Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment) said they were particularly concerned about allegations of arbitrary detention, physical abuse and the misuse of Turkey’s counterterrorism laws.
“We remain deeply worried about the apparent misuse of the Anti-Terror Code,” the rapporteurs said, adding that these laws have been used in a manner that “criminalizes human rights defenders and lawyers for their work.”
The letter refers to allegations that many of the lawyers were denied a fair trial.
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UN special rapporteurs urge Turkey to end mistreatment of human rights lawyers
