Istanbul Bar Association to hold Extraordinary General Assembly on February 23

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The Istanbul Bar Association, one of the largest bar associations in the world, will hold an extraordinary general assembly at the Haliç Congress Center on Sunday, February 23…

Following a lawsuit filed in the Civil Court of First Instance by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office—which sought the termination of the duties of the Istanbul Bar Association's President and board members and the election of a new president and board—a decision was made to hold an extraordinary general assembly without elections on Sunday, February 23…

Ahead of the general assembly to be held at the Haliç Congress Center on Sunday, February 23, Istanbul Bar Association President İbrahim Kaboğlu met with journalists at the Bar's headquarters in Beyoğlu.

Speaking at the meeting, which was also attended by some former Bar Presidents and presidential candidates from the last general assembly, Kaboğlu stated: "Those who come by election leave by election. We are carrying out the work for the extraordinary general assembly together with the words, slogan, and determination that 'no one can interfere with the democratic will of the lawyers who are members of the Istanbul Bar Association.' We will continue to work together until Sunday evening. The only opposition expected so far for Sunday is the weather, but that will end on Sunday. Through the democratic will, common will, rights, and freedoms that we will demonstrate via the legal path at the extraordinary general assembly, we will say 'no' to this series of operations led by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, not only with the will of the Istanbul Bar Association members, but also with the common will of Turkey's bar associations and representatives of bar associations coming from Europe."

WHAT HAPPENED?

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office had launched an investigation into the Istanbul Bar Association President and its board members on charges of "terrorism" and "disinformation" due to a post regarding journalists Cihan Bilgin and Nazım Daştan, who lost their lives in northeastern Syria.

On December 22, 2024, the Istanbul Bar Association had issued a statement regarding the deaths of Daştan and Bilgin, saying: "According to information reflected in the press, journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin lost their lives as a result of an attack on December 19. The targeting of press members in conflict zones constitutes a violation of the Geneva Convention. We demand that an effective investigation be conducted regarding the killing of our two press member citizens and that those detained be released immediately."

Istanbul Bar Association President İbrahim Kaboğlu and board members went to the courthouse on January 7, 2025, to give statements within the scope of the investigation.

On Tuesday, January 14, the prosecutor's office filed a lawsuit requesting the termination of the duties of the Istanbul Bar Association's management and the election of a new bar president and board members.

Meanwhile, Istanbul Bar Association Board Member Attorney Fırat Epözdemir, who was detained as part of an investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office into the PKK/KCK, was referred to the Criminal Judgeship of Peace with a request for arrest, and the Judgeship decided to arrest Epözdemir on January 27.

News Source: 12punto