They called out to the Ministry of Justice! 'We are not going anywhere!'

Lawyers who are members of the Istanbul Bar Association's Young Lawyers Center hold a 2-hour 'CMK Watch' in front of the Çağlayan Courthouse every day to ensure that CMK fees are equalized with the 2025 minimum wage.

Gathering in front of the Çağlayan Courthouse for 7 days, the lawyers are calling for the 2025 CMK fee schedule to be equalized with the minimum attorney fee schedule, chanting slogans such as "Not a tariff, but a poverty wage," "A lawyer's labor cannot be exploited," and "Equal pay for equal work."

'IT HAS BECOME A DOCUMENT OF EXPLOITATION'

Stating that the CMK fee schedule has become a document of exploitation of lawyers' labor in the face of today's economic hardships, the lawyers said in their statement: "It is clearly seen by all segments of society that the fees in the current schedule are far from meeting the workload and expertise requirements of lawyers. The low level of the tariff fees threatens the economic sustainability of lawyers who provide public service through CMK assignments and pushes young lawyers to struggle for existence in a state of anxiety and hopelessness on an economic level."

Arguing that this situation negatively affects not only lawyers but also citizens' search for justice, the lawyers stated: "The foundation of justice is equal access and the right to effective defense. Therefore, it is imperative that necessary steps be taken to equalize the CMK fee schedule with the Minimum Attorney Fee Schedule and to protect the rights of our colleagues. Today is the time to act for the review of these tariffs and the protection of lawyers' rights as part of the struggle for justice."

"WE HAVE A SINGLE DEMAND"

Speaking to 12 Punto, a lawyer said, "We are young lawyers affiliated with the Istanbul Bar Association. We are fighting against the CMK Tariff, which we call a poverty tariff. We have a single demand from the Ministry of Justice. We want the CMK Tariff to be equalized with the Minimum Attorney Fee Schedule. We are not going anywhere until our demand is accepted."

The lawyers, who are also expecting support from their colleagues, will continue to hold a 2-hour CMK watch in front of the Çağlayan Courthouse every day until their demands are met.

News Source : Nagihan Yılkın