Rights Advocates Seek UK Sanctions to Protect Turkish Lawyers
In a bid to halt the abuse faced by Turkish lawyers, a rights group is aiming to leverage UK sanctions. The Arrested Lawyers Initiative (ALI) is compiling evidence on the hundreds of lawyers either imprisoned or awaiting trial in Turkey.
Since the failed coup in 2016, ALI alleges a systematic crackdown on legal professionals who oppose the government’s directives. Nearly all leading figures from Turkey’s local bar associations and dissenting judges have faced arrests on dubious charges.
According to ALI, over 1,500 lawyers have been prosecuted, with 600 awaiting trial and 441 already sentenced to a combined 2,278 years in jail. The organization reports instances of torture, solitary confinement, and denial of basic rights among the detained.
Two barristers, Kevin Dent QC and Michael Polak, are drafting a submission for the UK Foreign Office, urging the implementation of newly enforced global rights sanctions. These sanctions, akin to the Magnitsky Act in the US, target individuals involved in severe human rights violations worldwide.
Despite diplomatic challenges, advocates are pushing for accountability, especially given the deteriorating conditions in Turkey since the 2016 coup attempt. Lawyers, along with journalists, activists, and academics, have borne the brunt of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s crackdown.
Notable cases include Erdem Semih Yıldız, who allegedly faced torture while in police custody, and Ebru Timtik, a human rights lawyer who died in custody after a hunger strike.
The situation has drawn condemnation from legal circles globally. David Greene, President of the Law Society in England and Wales, decries the persecution of lawyers simply for fulfilling their professional duties. UK courts are increasingly cautious about extraditing suspects to Turkey, citing concerns about political motivations and prison conditions.
The UK Foreign Office asserts the importance of proportionate actions by the Turkish government in addressing the aftermath of the 2016 coup attempt. However, ongoing human rights violations continue to raise international alarm, prompting calls for sustained pressure on Turkish authorities.