Appeal from 33 bar association chairs: It is a responsibility to keep Ebru and Aytaç alive

Thirty-three bar association chairs made a joint written statement about lawyers Ebru Timtik and Aytaç Ünsal, who are on death fast demanding a fair trial.

The following comments were included in the statement:

“We all know that our colleagues Aytaç Ünsal and Ebru Timtik converted the hunger strike they started by way of demand for a ‘fair trial’ into a death fast on 5 April ‘Lawyers’ Day’. Despite the issuing of a report that ‘they cannot stay in prison’ following the examination the Council of Forensic Medicine conducted, we saw Istanbul Serious Crime Court No 37 ordering them to be forcibly detained in hospital and treated, rather than released. Under this order, both of our colleagues are currently being held in airless cells called the convicts’ ward boasting harsher conditions than prison conditions.”

‘IT IS THE RIGHT OF DEFENCE THAT IS AT RISK’

“We now finally know that Ebru and Aytaç are heading straight for the point of no return. What is at risk is not just Ebru and Aytaç's lives, but the very right of defence itself. For our colleagues’ demand is the right to a fair trial, which is the need/right of all citizens. It is also justified for this reason and extremely simple to implement. Right now, it is a responsibility for all those with consciences to keep Ebru and Aytaç alive. We, bar association chairs, appeal to all in authority in an awareness of responsibility. We demand the provision of the right to a fair trial and Ebru Timtik and Aytaç Ünsal’s release in a speedy manner in accordance with the Council of Forensic Medicine report and give assurance that, on their release, we will act with persistence for our colleagues to revisit this decision they have taken with regard to their lives.”

The names of the bar association chairs who are signatories to the statement are as follow:

    Adana Bar Association Chair Veli Küçük

    Ağrı Bar Association Chair Salih Aydın

    Amasya Bar Association Chair Ahmet Melik Derindere

    Ankara Bar Association Chair Erinç Sağkan

    Antalya Bar Association Chair Polat Balkan

    Artvin Bar Association Chair Ali Uğur Çağal

    Aydın Bar Association Chair Gökhan Bozkurt

    Balıkesir Bar Association Chair Erol Kayabay

    Batman Bar Association Chair Abdülhamit Çakan

    Bingöl Bar Association Chair Hanifi Budancamanak

    Bolu Bar Association Chair Sabri Erhendekçi

    Bursa Bar Association Chair Gürkan Altun

    Denizli Bar Association Chair Müjdat İlhan

    Diyarbakır Bar Association Chair Cihan Aydın

    Düzce Bar Association Chair Azade Ay

    Gaziantep Bar Association Chair Bektaş Şarklı

    Hakkari Bar Association Chair Ergün Canan

    Hatay Bar Association Chair Ekrem Dönmez

    İstanbul Bar Association Chair Mehmet Durakoğlu

    İzmir Bar Association Chair Özkan Yücel

    Kocaeli Bar Association Chair Bahar Gültekin Candemir

    Mardin Bar Association Chair İsmail Elik

    Mersin Bar Association Chair Bilgin Yeşilboğaz

    Muğla Bar Association Chair Cumhur Uzun

    Muş Bar Association Chair Feridun Taş

    Ordu Bar Association Chair Haluk Murat Poyraz

    Siirt Bar Association Chair Nizam Dilek

    Şanlıurfa Bar Association Chair Abdullah Öncel

    Şırnak Bar Association Chair Nuşirevan Elçi

    Tekirdağ Bar Association Chair Sedat Tekneci

    Tunceli Bar Association Chair Kenan Çetin

    Van Bar Association Chair Zülküf Uçar

    Yalova Bar Association Chair Fedayi Doğruyol (EVRENSEL DAILY)