EYLEM SONBAHAR
A High Criminal Court in Istanbul has postponed the trial of lawyer Nazan Betül Vangölü Kozağaçlı, a senior member of the Progressive Lawyers Association (ÇHD), to allow time for the prosecution to prepare its final opinion. The decision came after a cooperating witness testified via videoconference during the fourth hearing of the case, which accuses Kozağaçlı of membership in a terrorist organization based on her professional legal activities.
Kozağaçlı, who was arrested during a police raid on the People’s Law Office in Istanbul and held in pretrial detention for a year, was released on February 12 under a travel ban. She is being tried by the Istanbul 26th High Criminal Court, and the latest hearing was attended by observers from the Istanbul Bar Association.
Addressing the court in response to the witness testimony, Kozağaçlı said, "There is a templated statement taken by law enforcement that even appears in the indictment. There is no direct statement. I had already explained what I did in the course of my legal work."
The court ruled to send the case file to the prosecution for preparation of its final opinion and ordered that Kozağaçlı’s travel ban remain in place. The next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 25 at 2:30 p.m.
