May 28, 1999
May 28, 1999
Contact HRF Communications (212) 845 5245 media@humanrightsfirst.orgPersecution of Lawyers and Procedural Violations Endanger
Abdullah Ocalan’s Right to a Legal DefenseMay 28,1999 – Human Rights First is seriously concerned about the fairness of the upcoming trial of Abdullah Ocalan, the leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Turkey, to begin on May 31 on Imrali Island. Mr. Ocalan, who is charged with treason and sedition, faces the death penalty if convicted. The conditions of Mr. Ocalan’s detention, and the persecution of members of his defense team render a fair trial nearly impossible without the quick intervention of the Turkish government. This week, Human Rights First wrote a letter to the Prime Minister of Turkey urging him to take immediate steps to guarantee that Mr. Ocalan’s lawyers can carry out their professional duties free from the harassment they have endured to date.
In defense of the rule of law in Turkey and in accordance with UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, the Turkish government must also protect Mr. Ocalan’s lawyers from being identified with their client. When the lawyers were attacked at a preliminary defense hearing on April 30, 1999, the police did not intervene, and some police officers are reported to have joined in the attack. The treatment of these lawyers, and the lack of an adequate official response, is an example of a long-standing pattern of harassment and intimidation of lawyers who represent clients accused of support for the PKK.
This atmosphere of intimidation compounds the procedural obstacles faced by the defense team. Mr. Ocalan’s lawyers are being denied full access to the written records of interrogation sessions carried out in the period immediately following his detention on February 14, 1999. Mr. Ocalan was held incommunicado without access to lawyers for nine days, in violation of both Turkish law and international human rights standards. The defense team has also complained of limited access to their client and the monitoring and invasive control by security forces of their meetings with Mr. Ocalan.
"The right to a legal defense is the gateway to all other legal rights and protections available in Turkish and international law," said Neil Hicks, Senior Program Coordinator of Human Rights First. "Mr. Ocalan is entitled to a fair trial from the Turkish legal system, if he does not receive one the rights and freedoms of everyone in Turkey are put at risk."
To receive a copy of Human Rights First’s recent letter to Prime Minister Bulent, please use above contact numbers.