Court persists in refusing to comply with Constitutional Court's release order

Following the Constitutional Court's publication of its reasoned decision, all eyes have turned to the 13th High Criminal Court, which has failed to issue a release order for days.

THE WAIT CONTINUES

While lawyers have been keeping watch at the Çağlayan Courthouse for days, the court panel leaves the courthouse quietly without issuing a decision. Today, following the Constitutional Court's decision, the lawyers and party members waiting at Çağlayan are reacting to the fact that no decision has yet been made.

TİP Chairman Erkan Baş, Party Spokesperson Sera Kadıgil, and Istanbul MP Ahmet Şık arrived at the Çağlayan Courthouse and approached the clerk's office of the Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court. Özgür Urfa, one of Can Atalay's lawyers who received information from the court clerk, said, "The court panel's deliberations are ongoing."

"THIS IS CALLED COWARDICE, ONE SHOULD BE A LITTLE ASHAMED"

TİP Istanbul MP and lawyer Sera Kadıgil is also among the crowd waiting at the courthouse today for the decision to be issued. Kadıgil, who is part of the legal team that spoke with the clerk of the 13th High Criminal Court, reacted by saying, "They are still inside, friends. They have locked themselves in. The two judges sitting in the 13th High Criminal Court, despite the Constitutional Court's decision, have placed private security in front of the corridor behind me and have locked themselves in their room for 8 hours. The clerk has no information. We have no information either. For 24 hours, on top of 5 days, the members of the 13th High Criminal Court have been cowardly continuing to commit the crime of deprivation of liberty. This is called cowardice. It has no other name. One should be a little ashamed. As a lawyer, I am ashamed."

TİP Chairman Erkan Baş made statements to the press in the courthouse corridor.

ERKAN BAŞ: WE WILL WAIT UNTIL THE DECISION IS ISSUED

Stating that they would begin a sit-in protest, Baş said:

"We are waiting for an injustice to end. Since the publication in the Official Gazette, there is only one thing the court needs to do; read what the Constitutional Court has written and sign it. To order the release of Can Atalay. Our patience has run out. We are putting an end to this masquerade. We will be waiting here in Çağlayan Square with our friends until this decision is issued. We invite all our citizens and everyone who stands up for the rule of law to join us in this square."

News Source : 12punto