Deniz Tekin
A court in southeastern Turkey has postponed the trial of lawyer Adile Salman, who is accused of “membership in a terrorist organization” based on her legal work and the testimony of a cooperating witness. The court ruled to wait for the outcome of a newly opened investigation against her before proceeding.
The fourth hearing in the case was held at the 5th High Criminal Court in Diyarbakır, a predominantly Kurdish city in Turkey’s southeast. Salman and her legal team were present in court, along with members of the Diyarbakır Bar Association’s executive board, representatives from the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD), and delegates from the international organization Avocats Sans Frontières (Lawyers Without Borders), as well as many other lawyers.
In her defense, Salman argued that the case was launched due to her work as a lawyer. “This case should not have dragged on for so long,” she said, reiterating her earlier defense statements and calling for her acquittal.
“Prison visits are being treated as a crime”
Salman’s lawyer, Servet Özen, criticized a new indictment sent to the court with a request to merge it with the current case, which the court rejected. Özen particularly objected to language in the indictment that labeled lawyers visiting prisons as “members of an organization.” “There is no concrete evidence that my client engaged in any organizational activity,” he said.
Another defense lawyer, Mehdi Özdemir, underscored that prosecuting a lawyer for their professional activities is unacceptable. “Every lawyer in this courtroom is under judicial threat,” he warned, while demanding the removal of judicial control measures imposed on Salman.
The prosecutor requested the completion of missing elements in the case file. The court, meanwhile, decided to wait for the result of a separate investigation recently launched against Salman. It also ruled to keep in place the travel ban that prevents her from leaving the country. The next hearing is scheduled for May 29.
Background
Adile Salman was detained on April 25 based on statements by Ümit Akbıyık, a cooperating witness. She was later released under judicial control. The Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office charged her with “membership in a terrorist organization,” seeking a prison sentence of 7.5 to 15 years.
The indictment cited Salman’s phone calls with fellow lawyers, her membership in the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD), and her legal representation of individuals taken into custody as grounds for the charges.
