A DELEGATION FROM FEDERAL UNIVERSITY IN BRÜHL VISITS ISTANBUL BAR ASSOCIATION

Chaired by Prof. Dr. Dr. Arndt Künnecke, a delegation of 21 student from Federal University of Applied Sciences for Public Administration (Brühl, Germany) paid a visit to Istanbul Bar Association at 15.00 on September 18, 2019. The delegation was welcomed by the Board Members of Istanbul Bar Association Atty. Dr. Ayça Özok Ener, Atty. Sinan Naipoğlu and Atty. Selahattin Meriç. The meeting was attended also by Atty. Uğur Tabak, a member of the Human Rights Center of Istanbul Bar Association.

In their opening address, Özok Ener, Naipoğlu and Meriç expressed that they are pleased to host the delegation within the premises of Istanbul Bar Association. Following the opening remarks, Tabak made a presentation on presidential governmental system in Turkey in response to the questions addressed by the delegates.

During the meeting it was discussed that the presidential governmental system, which intrinsically signifies a change in regime, eradicates the separation of powers, which is sine qua non for the democracy, that the judiciary is being suppressed by the executive, that the pressure does not only have an impact on the judicial decisions, but also on the right to information of the citizens as well as the freedom of press as cases are brought against the press, which, in turn, leads to self-censorship. 

The situation of the judiciary in Turkey, appointment of judges and prosecutors, violations of defense rights of the lawyers, failed coup attempt of July 15, SoE and governmental decrees and their effects on lawyers and democracy were among the topics discussed during the Q&A Session of the meeting,.

Board Member Özok Ener highlighted on the vital importance of lawyers and bar associations in building trust of the citizens to the judiciary in Turkey and she detailed on the struggle of the bar associations for securing fair trial and a state governed by the rule of law. As an answer to a question on the recent mayoral elections in Turkey, Board Member Naipoğlu rendered information on March 31 elections and underlined that the ballot box should be endowed with the ability to not only elect, but also “change” in a well-settled culture of democracy. Adding that opening up of Chapters 23 and 24 within the framework of Turkey-EU negotiations for accession will highly contribute to the democratization process of Turkey, Naipoğlu expressed the importance of support from Europe concerning the opening-up of these chapters.