ISTANBUL, Turkey, — The KCK trial at Istanbul Courthouse continued without the presence of the lawyers of defendants and issued arrest warrant for 33 lawyers and a journalist.
Releasing eight lawyers and Asrın Law Office secretary Zeynep Arat on grounds of probability of classification of offence and lack of evidence, Istanbul 11th High Criminal Court issued a warrant for the arrest of 33 lawyers and journalist Cengiz Kapmaz on charges of “membership to an organization” and “founding an organization”.
Lawyers reportedly didn’t sign interrogation reports of the Court. Detainees are expected to be taken to Metris Prison in Istanbul.
Including nearly 50 lawyers, 100 people were taken into custody on 22 November within the scope of simultaneous “KCK” operations in 16 provinces.
Turkey has become the greatest prison for journalists, elected people, teachers, unionists, children and human rights defenders since the AKP government came to power in 2002.
According to BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) Law Commission, 4,547 people have been detained and among them 1,838 have been remanded in custody in the last seven months in connection with “KCK” operation which targets Kurdish politicians and institutions since 14 April 2009. The figures don’t include the lawyers who have been arrested today.