Lawyers’ Day in Turkey

Today April 5 is Lawyers’ Day in Turkey.

The UIA signed a joint statement with its partners organisations to reaffirm its support to all Turkish lawyers in particular those facing persecution, prosecution, and harsh sentences simply because they are carrying out their professional activities or defending human rights.

Since July 2016:
- 1,546 lawyers have been prosecuted
- Almost 600 lawyers have been arrested
- 274 lawyers have been sentenced to long prison terms

The signatories organisations remind that the independence of the legal profession is an essential component in upholding the rule of law in a free society.

For this reason, they urge the Turkish government to bring an end to the persecution of lawyers. All lawyers who have been unduly detained for carrying out their professional activities should be immediately released.