State of Emergency Decrees Unlawful: Head of Turkey’s Bar Associations

October 31st, 2016

Awake Goy

nsnbc : Metin Feyzioglu, the head of Turkey’s Bar Associations (TTB), said state of emergency decrees imposed by the government are unlawful and denounced the government of continuing to impose sweeping measures which began after the failed military coup earlier this year.

Addressing journalists on Saturday Feyzioglu said: “What’s being done is unlawful and neglectful.” He also stressed that the parliament is being ignored or sidelined with the help of the emergency decrees.

“It is against the constitution for state of emergency decrees to make permanent changes in the law,” he added.

The latest emergency decree, issued on October 29 introduced restrictions against all those who are being charged with “terrorism,” “coup plotting” or any crime against the state.

The decree prescribes meetings between suspects in such alleged crimes and their lawyers to be monitored as well as recorded. Not even Germany went so far when it waged its notorious trials against members of the RAF (Red Army Fraction), at least not overtly.

Authorities will also be able to seize documents used in meetings between the suspects and their lawyer and be able to end those meetings immediately, and will moreover be allowed to limit the days and hours of meetings between the accused and defense council.

The Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office will also be able to entirely prohibit meetings between suspects and their lawyers for up to six months. Metin Feyzioglu particularly criticized the new authority to record meetings between lawyers and suspects. He said:

“The state of emergency was declared because of the coup attempt. Were meetings between lawyers and suspects the reason for the coup? Of course not. Someone should explain why you want to record these meetings. Why are you limiting these meetings? … You can’t fight against criminal organizations by making Turkey itself a convict at the European Court of Human Rights”.

F/AK – nsnbc 31.10.2016

Source Article from http://nsnbc.me/2016/10/31/state-of-emergency-decrees-unlawful-head-of-turkeys-bar-associations/