Turkish lawyers threaten boycott of Erdogan’s courts ceremony

Dozens of Turkish bar associations are threatening to boycott
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s planned ceremony to open the
judicial year at the presidential palace, saying it would be
another violation of the judiciary’s independence.

The boycott protest would be a first by law associations against
Erdogan, who has faced increasing criticism from Turkey’s Western
allies and rights activists over media freedoms and interference in
the courts.

The European Union says Turkey’s judicial independence and the
principle of separation of powers have been eroded since 2014 and
that judges and prosecutors have come under increasing political
pressure.

At least 42 bar associations including those for Istanbul and
the capital Ankara said they would not attend the event on
September 2 because they believe the ceremony should take place at
the Supreme Court building, not the presidential palace.

“These past years have seen judicial independence being
seriously undermined… The judiciary is under pressure from the
executive,” Mehmet Durakoglu, head of the Istanbul bar association,
told AFP on Sunday.

“Under these circumstances, we would expect the ceremony for the
opening of the judicial year to take place at a venue that
represents the separation of powers, rather than a political
location.”

Erdogan’s supporters dismiss criticism he has undermined Turkish
democracy, saying his government faces domestic threats especially
since a failed 2016 coup against him.

For many of his more conservative backers, he has brought
prosperity and defended Turkey’s interests in his decade and a half
in power.

– ‘Place of the people’-
The opening ceremony for the new judicial year was first held at
the presidential palace in 2016 after the failed coup.

Since then authorities have arrested tens of thousands of people
for alleged ties to the coup plotters, in what rights groups say is
an unprecedented crackdown.

Erdogan has dismissed criticism over the ceremony, describing
the presidential palace on the outskirts of Ankara as “the place of
the people”.

“The ceremony taking place in the place of the people would only
strengthen judicial independence,” the Turkish leader has said.

But for attorneys, the boycott decision represents a “reaction
against violation of freedom of expression, rule of law and
judicial independence,” said Dogus Aygun, another lawyer from the
Istanbul bar association.

Critics say Turkey’s courts have bowed to pressure, often making
rulings that favour authorities since massive purges in the
judiciary following a corruption scandal in 2013 and the 2016 coup
bid.

Durakoglu said the bar associations would keep up with their
campaign for more judicial independence in Turkey even “at the
expense of paying a heavy price.”

“We have no fear nor hesitation,” he said. “We see no solution
other than keep on fighting.”

(AFP)

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