Turkey’s state of emergency decrees are unlawful: Turkish Bar Association head

ANKARA

Turkey’s state of emergency decrees are unlawful, Union of Turkish Bar Associations (TTB) head Metin Feyzioğlu has said, as the government continues to impose sweeping post-coup attempt measures.

“What’s being done is unlawful and neglectful,” Feyzioğlu told journalists on Oct. 30, saying parliament is being “ignored with the state of emergency decrees.”

“It is against the constitution for state of emergency decrees to make permanent changes in the law,” he added. 

According to the latest state of emergency decree laws issued late on Oct. 29, restrictions were introduced against all those who charged with “terrorism,” “coup plotting” or any crime against the state. Such suspects’ meetings with their lawyers will be listened to and recorded. The authorities will be able to seize documents used in meetings between the suspects and their lawyer, will be able to end those meetings immediately, and will also be able to limit the days and hours of the meetings. The Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office will also be able to ban meetings between suspects and their lawyers for six months.

Feyzioğlu particularly slammed the new authority granted to record meetings between lawyers and suspects.
“The state of emergency was declared because of the coup attempt. Were meetings between lawyers and suspects the reason for the coup? Of course not. Someone should explain why you want to record these meetings. Why are you limiting these meetings?” he said.

“You can’t fight against criminal organizations by making Turkey itself a convict at the European Court of Human Rights [ECHR],” the TTB head added.