İstanbul bar association holds extraordinary general assembly: "We will not submit to pressure"
Following the dismissal of the President of the İstanbul Bar Association and 11 board members, an Extraordinary General Assembly meeting was held yesterday. Speaking at the meeting, Kaboğlu stated that they would not give up the struggle.
Ebru ÇELİK
Following the lawsuit filed at the İstanbul Civil Court of First Instance demanding the dismissal of Prof. İbrahim Kaboğlu and ten board members of the İstanbul Bar Association and the call for new elections, an Extraordinary General Assembly meeting was held yesterday. The meeting took place at the Haliç Congress Center, bringing together Turkey Bar Association President Erinç Sağkan, bar association presidents and lawyers from across Turkey, representatives of political parties, and numerous legal professionals from various countries.
In his speech at the congress, İstanbul Bar Association President Prof. İbrahim Kaboğlu stated:
“For the past two months, a rehearsal has been underway in Turkey on how to dismantle the defense through judicial means. The 11-member board is incomplete and has been deprived of its freedom through fabricated evidence.”
Kaboğlu continued:
“Just as in the operations against the İstanbul Bar Association, on the same day, the İstanbul Prosecutor's Office, the Ministry of Justice, and the İstanbul Courthouse can open three separate case files and issue decisions. If the judiciary is this swift, then why is the most violated right in Turkey the right to a fair trial? If justice is administered in this way for those who defend the law for their ideas, those who advocate different politics, and those with different worldviews, this is not justice; it is injustice and the dismantling of justice. If we defend the right to defense, rights, and freedoms more strongly, if we stand more firmly for our constitutional and political achievements, we can collectively rebuild the balance of the democratic rule of law that was disrupted in 2017. I sincerely hope our general assembly contributes to the goal of a democratic rule of law, a secular and democratic republic based on human rights in Turkey.”
Turkey Bar Association President Erinç Sağkan also addressed the assembly, stating:
“If they expect us to fasten our robes and submit to unlawful criminal complaints and dismissal rulings that were not even enforced during military junta periods, let us make it clear once again: We do not worship the power provided by governments, nor do we bow to oppression and pressure. We do not submit, we do not bend, because our strength comes not from authority but from rights, the people, and the law. We will never stop speaking the truth as we know it. Because we know that if we remain silent, if the defense remains silent, justice itself will be silenced.”
The hall resounded with chants of "Justice, law, rights!" and "The defense will not be silenced!"
Speakers also recalled former Hatay MP Can Atalay, whose parliamentary mandate was revoked, emphasizing his call for the Extraordinary General Assembly. They expressed their firm belief that, despite facing difficulties and pressures throughout different periods, the İstanbul Bar Association and its members have always overcome such challenges through their unwavering commitment to democracy, unity, and solidarity.
This interview is translated from the original Turkish version titled Baskılara biat etmeyeceğiz published in BirGün newspaper on February 24, 2025.
