Police attack to secure state authority

A ‘Justice Watch’ was started by lawyers at Istanbul Judicial Complex on 6 April demanding law and justice for all the victims of injustice, including that visited on our lawyers Akın Atalay, Bülent Utku and Mustafa Kemal Güngör, who have been detained as part of the investigation aimed at silencing our newspaper. A harsh intervention with gas canisters and shields was staged against the watch. In the course of the intervention in which security staff also became involved, Contemporary Jurists Association Istanbul Branch Chair Gökmen Yeşil sustained a broken nose, and lawyer Erkan Ünüvar a broken leg. Additionally, lawyers Diren Yeşil, Kemal Aytaç, Erkan Ünüvar, Özge Serdar, Anıl Başoğlu,Kıvanç Kayaoğlu and Sevinç Sarıkaya were arrested.

INSTRUCTİON FROM AYDOĞDU

The eight lawyers arrested as a result of the police intervention were placed under investigation as suspects by the Istanbul Republic Chief Prosecution Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigation Office. Within the investigation launched by Prosecutor İsmet Bozkurt, the lawyers stand accused of breaching the Meetings and Protest Marches Law and resisting the police. It is stated in the police record in the investigation file containing photographs of the police intervention that Chief Prosecutor Fuzuli Aydoğdu was called and informed of the watch, and he instructed that people be denied permission to assemble for protest purposes and hold sit-down protests within the judicial complex and in the area where the statues are situated or engage in actions that would prevent citizens from entering and exiting and the routine business of the complex, or make press statements.

AUTHORİTY COULD BE UNDERMİNED!

The following is stated in the police record in the endeavour to justify the disproportionate intervention in which broken legs and noses were sustained: ‘The need arose for an intervention against the group inside the judicial complex building in compliance with the order and request of Istanbul Republic Chief Prosecution, and also in the interests of bringing about peace and quiet inside Istanbul Judicial Palace, sparing the courts in the judicial complex from interruption through being disturbed by noise and in similar ways and preventing the undermining of state authority with citizens arriving at the complex seeing a group of protesters inside the complex.’

THE OPİNİON WAS FORMED THAT THEY WERE LYİNG

With it noted in the record that as the incidents took place, ‘The request was made by the police officers on duty from the outset until the end for the individuals in the protesting group to produce their identification,’ it is stated, ‘But, as the group of protestors did not produce their identification or lawyer identification, it was impossible to confirm whether or not they were lawyers. The opinion was formed by us that the individuals who claimed to be lawyers but did not produce identification were lying.’

THEY İNTERVENED TO AVOİD THEM BEİNG İNJURED

The police’s comprehension-defying defence in the record continued with the reason for the intervention. It was alleged that the lawyers staging a watch inside the judicial complex were ‘swept’ outside using shields to avoid any injury or the occurrence of any unwanted event. The police officers, seeking to evade responsibility for the breaking of Gökmen Yeşil's nose and Erkan Ünüvar's leg, argue that the lawyers attacked the police with punches and kicks during the intervention and were injured from falling in the ensuing melee as they jostled one another.

THE ASSAULTİNG POLİCE OFFİCERS HAVE NOT BEEN İDENTİFİED

On the other hand, the lawyers have made a criminal complaint into the assaulting police officers and security staff along with the prosecutor who ordered the assault. It has been learnt that lawyer Erkan Ünüvar, who sustained a broken leg, was summoned to give statement as complainant as part of an investigation being conducted by the Civil Servants’ Crimes Investigation Office but absolutely no procedure was conducted with a view to identifying the police officers who committed the assault.

NINTH WATCH

The Justice Watch started in opposition to the injustice visited on our detained lawyers was held this week for the ninth time. CHP MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu, journalist Hüsnü Mahalli and fashion designer Barbaros Şansal also attended yesterday’s watch at Istanbul Judicial Complex located in Çağlayan.