We, the AED-EDL European Lawyers’ Association, have come to know that on the 25th of October, lawyer Bedirhan Sarsılmaz was taken into custody. At the moment of his detention, lawyer Bedirhan Sarsılmaz, had just finished his plea as part of the defense counsel of his client and was exercising his profession.
Lawyer Bedirhan Sarsılmaz of the Istanbul bar association, is member of the ÖHD, an Association of Lawyers for Freedom, member organization of the AED-EDL, a confederation of lawyers’ associations sharing the same democratic ideals: to defend the rights of citizens by preserving the independence of lawyers.
The AED-EDL condemns this arrest, which is in clear violation with the fundamental principles of law and a direct intervention in the right of the defense as set out in the Havana Principles of 1990. These Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers were adopted to protect lawyers during the exercise of their profession. The principles further provide, “Lawyers shall not be identified with their clients or their clients’ causes as a result of discharging their functions.”
The AED-EDL considers the conditions of arrest of our colleague Bedirhan Sarsılmaz unacceptable and asks for his immediate release. We will continue to follow with attention.
Wednesday, 31st October 2024
Madrid, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Rome, Brussels, Athens
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