Norwegian Lawyers Visit Istanbul Bar Association

Member of the Norwegian Bar Association Human Rights Committee Maria Hessen Jacobsen, Member of the Norwegian International Lawyers Commission (ICJ) Kiran Aziz and 4 law faculty students at the ICJ Student Network paid a visit to Istanbul Bar Association at 9.00 on Friday, May 24. The delegation was welcomed by Atty. Nazan Moroğlu, Vice-President of Istanbul Bar Association.

Thanking the delegation for their visit, Vice-President Moroğlu touched upon the common language of the legal profession worldwide and emphasized the importance of struggle in solidarity in order to solve the shared problems of the legal profession.

Moroğlu rendered information to the delegation regarding the activities of Istanbul Bar Association in order to secure the rule of law, right to fair trial, independence of lawyers, human rights, women’s rights and democracy as well as their struggle against the violations of right to defense. Detailing on the solidarity vigils for democracy initiated by Istanbul Bar Association as a reaction to the unlawfulness which is a result of  the decision of the Supreme Election Council (YSK) dated May 6 to renew the elections in Istanbul, Vice-President Moroğlu indicated that these vigils have caught wide attention and they are supported by the other bar associations in Turkey as well as professional chambers, trade unions and NGO’s. Moroğlu also highlighted on their project to assign “a lawyer for each ballot box” in Istanbul during the elections scheduled for June 23 and their public awareness-raising activities. “Struggle for democracy is a reason of existence for Istanbul Bar Association,” Moroğlu said.

Having met with Atty. Mehmet Durakoğlu, President of Istanbul Bar Association, during her visit to Istanbul Bar Association in May last year, Jacobsen said that they came to Turkey on a multiple-task mission in order to observe a trial and to visit Istanbul Bar Association as well as a number of other NGO’s and local lawyers with the aim of fact-gathering on the status of the rule of law in Turkey. Jacobsen touched on the activities of Norwegian Bar Association concerning human rights violations in Turkey.