International Senior Lawyers Project Urges Turkish Authorities to Review Detention of Turkish Lawyers

New York, NY, June 15, 2013 --(PR.com)-- The International Senior Lawyers Project (ISLP) urges the Turkish authorities to review the detention of Turkish lawyers that occurred on June 11, 2013.

According to information received by ISLP, 50 to 72 lawyers had gathered peacefully inside the Caglayan Justice Palace, the main justice court in Istanbul, to protest the use of force by police against protesters in Taksim Square and elsewhere in Turkey. Police arrested and forcibly removed the lawyers from the courthouse. This action against the bar marks an escalation of the government's abusive reactions to the nationwide outbreak of protests and sends and ominous signal to lawyers throughout Turkey.

ISLP urges officials at the highest levels of government to promptly review the arrests to determine whether they were authorized by court order or justified by an exigency and hold accountable any officers that used excessive force.

Founded in 2000, the International Senior Lawyers Project provides the pro bono services of highly skilled and experienced lawyers to promote human rights, equitable and sustainable economic development and the rule of law worldwide. ISLP assists governments, non-governmental organizations and other institutions working to build legal capacity and to advance the rights and well-being of their citizens. For more information, visit www.islp.org.