VAN - Association of Lawyers for Freedom raised a call to the authorities to need the demand of their colleagues, imprisoned lawyers Ebru Timtik and Aytaç Ünsal, who have been on death fast since April 5 with the demand of a “fair trial”.

 

Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) members lawyers Ekin Yeter and ÖHD Van Branch Co-Spokesperson lawyer Servest Ekmekçi said the demands of imprisoned lawyers Ebru Timtik and Aytaç Ünsal should be met immediately before it is too late as both lawyers continue their death fast they declared on April 5. 

 

‘WE WILL DO THE BEST WE CAN’

 

Addressing to the fact that the death fast action of the imprisoned lawyers revealed the structure of justice in Turkey, lawyer Ekin Yeter said, “They demand their right risking their only and the most valuable right at any individual’s hand, their right to live. In such a period, we think that it is not the time to discuss the type of their action or on the political thoughts, but we should hear their demand. Our main concern is the demands of our colleagues and we will do our best for these demands to be heard.”

 

‘FAIR TRIAL IS A BASIC RIGHT’

 

Yeter also commented on the health status of the two lawyers informing the public that the health of both death fast resisters go worse each day. “Their demand should be explained more. We have been always talking about fair trial lately, but we should declare and explain the essence of what a fair trial means,” said Yeter and explained, “Fair trial is, first of all, is one of our basic rights and it’s one of the most valued rights in the international law. Then again it is secured by the 36th article of the Turkish Constitution and the 6th article of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). So the right to fair trial is as essential as our right to live for all of us.”

 

‘THE LIVES OF EBRU AND AYTAÇ IS ON CRITICAL STAGE’

 

“They are imprisoned based on the testimonies of anonymous witnesses and they were charged with membership to an organization, but Istanbul 37th Heavy Penal Court had ruled their release during the trials. When they were about to be released the coart board of their trial was dispelled and changed,” said Servet Ekmekçi drawing attention to the contradictory process of the trial of the two death fast resister lawyers.  Ekmekçi continued, “This whole process show the low degrees that the fair trials have fallen in our country. Turkey, on the other hand, is a party of many international agreements that emphasize on the right to fair trial, but unfortunately as a result of the politization of the justice system  there are many problems regarding this right. Under such circumstances our colleagues decided to take their hunger strike action to the next level of death fast and the lives of our colleagues is on critical stage. We see the demands of Ebru and Aytaç as legitimate and we stand in solidarity with them. We declare that we support them. In such a critical point where the lives of our colleagues is in danger, we want their demands to be met immediately.”