*/
In solidarity with Turkish lawyers, the Bar Human Rights Committee (BHRC) has condemned the ‘systemic failure’ of the courts in neglecting to deal with thousands arrested and detained following last year’s aborted coup.
It has written to the President of the Turkish Constitutional Court, Zühtü Arslan, calling on him to address the thousands of cases, including those of lawyers and journalists, pending since Turkey’s abortive coup in July 2016.
Since then, none of the 80,000 cases has been heard or resolved and more than 30,000 people remain in detention.
BHRC argued that the delay breached the defendants’ rights under Art 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
It followed an open letter to Prime Minister, Theresa May, in advance of her meeting with the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdo an, in January highlighting the systematic persecution of lawyers and judges and labelling the Turkish government’s actions ‘an egregious attack on democracy’.
BHRC chair Kirsty Brimelow QC said: ‘There appears to be a systemic failure of the courts in Turkey, representing a block to access to justice. Fundamental rights to liberty are being violated.
‘BHRC is acting in solidarity with the lawyers in detention but also in its capacity as lawyers seeking to uphold international human rights law around the world.’
In solidarity with Turkish lawyers, the Bar Human Rights Committee (BHRC) has condemned the ‘systemic failure’ of the courts in neglecting to deal with thousands arrested and detained following last year’s aborted coup.
It has written to the President of the Turkish Constitutional Court, Zühtü Arslan, calling on him to address the thousands of cases, including those of lawyers and journalists, pending since Turkey’s abortive coup in July 2016.
Since then, none of the 80,000 cases has been heard or resolved and more than 30,000 people remain in detention.
BHRC argued that the delay breached the defendants’ rights under Art 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
It followed an open letter to Prime Minister, Theresa May, in advance of her meeting with the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdo an, in January highlighting the systematic persecution of lawyers and judges and labelling the Turkish government’s actions ‘an egregious attack on democracy’.
BHRC chair Kirsty Brimelow QC said: ‘There appears to be a systemic failure of the courts in Turkey, representing a block to access to justice. Fundamental rights to liberty are being violated.
‘BHRC is acting in solidarity with the lawyers in detention but also in its capacity as lawyers seeking to uphold international human rights law around the world.’
Chair of the Bar reflects on 2025
Q&A with criminal barrister Nick Murphy, who moved to New Park Court Chambers on the North Eastern Circuit in search of a better work-life balance
Revolt Cycling in Holborn, London’s first sustainable fitness studio, invites barristers to join the revolution – turning pedal power into clean energy
Rachel Davenport, Co-founder and Director at AlphaBiolabs, reflects on how the company’s Giving Back ethos continues to make a difference to communities across the UK
By Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
AlphaBiolabs has made a £500 donation to Sean’s Place, a men’s mental health charity based in Sefton, as part of its ongoing Giving Back initiative
Professor Dominic Regan and Seán Jones KC present their best buys for this holiday season
Little has changed since Burns v Burns . Cohabiting couples deserve better than to be left on the blasted heath with the existing witch’s brew for another four decades, argues Christopher Stirling
Six months of court observation at the Old Bailey: APPEAL’s Dr Nisha Waller and Tehreem Sultan report their findings on prosecution practices under joint enterprise
Despite its prevalence, autism spectrum disorder remains poorly understood in the criminal justice system. Does Alex Henry’s joint enterprise conviction expose the need to audit prisons? asks Dr Felicity Gerry KC
With automation now deeply embedded in the Department for Work Pensions, Alexander McColl and Alexa Thompson review what we know, what we don’t and avenues for legal challenge
