Joint Statement of International Protest Condemning Turkey’s Arrest of Naim Eminoğlu and Doğa İncesu of the Progressive Lawyers Association (“ÇHD”)

The New York City Bar Association has joined 42 other bar associations, law societies, and lawyers’ rights organizations around the world in condemning “in the strongest possible terms the detention of Progressive Lawyers Association (“ÇHD”) lawyers Naim Eminoğlu and Doğa İncesu, and demand their immediate release and exoneration by the authorities of Turkey.”

The statement by the international organizations reads, “On 2 July 2024, Turkish authorities raided the Istanbul homes of lawyers Naim Eminoğlu and Doğa İncesu, and took the two lawyers into custody. Eminoğlu is an Istanbul Branch executive board member of Çağdaş Hukukçular Derneği – the Progressive Lawyers Association (“ÇHD”), and İncesu is a ÇHD member.

“In fulfilling their professional duties as lawyers, Eminoğlu and İncesu are present at police stations and courthouses almost every day. Indeed, they were scheduled to attend court hearings in clients’ cases on 2 July. Despite the fact that there was no risk that the two lawyers would attempt to flee, armed police officers executed early-morning raids on the lawyers’ residences and took them into custody. Their detention prevented the two lawyers from attending clients’ hearings on 2 July and following days.

“In violation of provisions of Turkey’s Code of Criminal Procedure and its Law on Lawyers, neither the prosecutor nor a representative of the bar association was present at the raids. Moreover, in the course of the raids, police seized Eminoğlu’s laptop, as well as the mobile phones of both Eminoğlu and İncesu, for examination and copying. Because Eminoğlu and İncesu use those devices for their work as lawyers, the devices contain client files and privileged information. The authorities’ actions constitute grave violations of lawyer-client confidentiality. The lawyers’ devices still have not been returned.

“Contrary to Turkish law, Incesu, Eminoğlu, and their lawyers have not been informed about the accusations against them, and they have been denied the opportunity to prepare for their statements before the prosecutor’s office at the courthouse on 5 July.”

UPDATE: Eminoğlu and İncesu were freed on Friday evening, and it’s not clear whether and when charges will be brought against them.

Read the full statement here: https://bit.ly/3zve3Il