The ICJ’s Centre for the Independence of Judges and Lawyers demands the Russian authorities to immediately release a lawyer arrested on 24 October after police planted a firearm in his car.
In its report released today, the ICJ’s Centre for the Independence of Judges and Lawyers expressed its concern that Turkish lawyers continue to face criminal prosecution for exercising their right to freedom of expression.
This is the final report of the trial of Filiz Kalayci, a Turkish lawyer, who was charged with “insulting the Ministry of Justice” and “professional misconduct” on account of an article that she wrote in a national newspaper regarding F-Type prisons in Turkey.
Turkey-final report Kalayci trial-trial observer report-2003 (full text, PDF)
The ICJ’s Centre of the Independence of Judges and Lawyers monitored the re-trial of former Kurdish MP’s Leyla Zana and her co-defendants. The hearing took place at Ankara State Security Court on 15 August and 15 September 2003.
The ICJ found that there were serious deficiencies throughout the trial.
Turkey-report re-trial Zana-trial observer report-2003 (full text, PDF)
From August 14 to 16, 2003, the ICJ held a first ICCPR training seminar for lawyers in Kyrgyzstan.
The ICJ is satisfied by the decision of the No. 1 Ankara Heavy Penal Court on 31 October to acquit 27 lawyers who had been charged with professional misconduct under the Turkish Penal Law.
The ICJ had sent a trial observer, Paul Richmond, Barrister of England and Wales, to observe this hearing which had been previously adjourned twice. Mr Richmond observed the earlier proceedings which took place on 9 May and 11 July.
The charge against the lawyers stemmed from their representation of political prisoners at Uluncular prison during a court proceeding in December 2000. It was at this hearing that the lawyers were alleged to have “shouted slogans” at the court and “incited those persons present in the courtroom to resist the gendarmes.” The charge was dismissed on the ground that it was not supported by sufficient evidence. A full report of the 31 October hearing will be available on the ICJ web site shortly. Reports of the first two hearings are currently available.
The ICJ calls upon the Government to implement the Court’s decision immediately and ensure full respect for the UN Principles on the Role of Lawyers.
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