IHD - On 12th May 2009, four lawyers, Mr. Hasan Anlar (IHD Deputy Secretary General), Ms. Filiz Kalayci (IHD Executive Board Member), Mr. Halil İbrahim Vargün (IHD Former Treasurer), Mr. Murat Vargün (Member of the IHD) and Mr. Nedim Tas were detained and their offices and houses were searched by the anti-terror police. They were charged of “being a member of an illegal organization”.While four lawyers were released on 15th May 2009, Mr. Nedim Tas were arrested. On the other hand, the Public Prosecutor appealed the decision of the 11th Heavy Penal Court of Ankara regarding the release of four lawyers. Within the context of this appeal the public prosecutor issued a warrant of arrest on 25 May 2009. When Ms. Kalayci went to Ankara Court House to deal with the files of her own clients, she was detained by police forces and taken before the Court. Then the Court made a decision of arrest against her and she was sent to Sincan's Women's Prison in Ankara.
The first hearing of IHD executives and members and Nedim Tas was held before the 11th District High Criminal Court of Ankara on 9 November, 2009. In this hearing, the court rejected the release of Mr. Kalayci and the hearing was adjourned until January 28, 2010. The second hearing was held on 28th January 2010 and Ms. Filiz Kalaycı was released.
This case was opened because of illegal and insufficient evidence that were gathered by the police, whose aim was to prevent these four lawyers’ advocacy as a human rights activist and lawyer. The officers also try to threaten the other lawyers and activists by opening this case. However, the unlawful accusations against them were uncovered in both hearings. 274 lawyers were registered to defend the human rights defenders. About 130 lawyers were participated to the first hearing. Despite adverse weather conditions, about 90 lawyers participated to the second hearing.
As the Human Rights Association (IHD) we would like to thank the presidents of Ankara, Diyarbakır and Şırnak Bar Associations since they defend our executives and members voluntarily. We also like to thank to the local and international human rights defenders, representatives of local and foreign institutions and missions, the president of Progressive Lawyers Association (ÇHD and lawyers that were the executives and members of IHD and CHD branches in Ankara, İstanbul, Diyarbakır, Adana, Mersin, İzmir, Van, Şırnak, Kars, Gaziantep, Hatay, Antalya, Adıyaman, Bursa, Mardin, Ağrı, Siirt, Tunceli and Bingöl provinces for their solidarity by participating to the hearings.
