Overview

• The Istanbul 26th Heavy Penal Court held hearings on September 9–10 as 12 international organizations urged dismissal of the case against the bar’s president İbrahim Kaboğlu and 10 board members.
• Prosecutors charged the leaders with “propaganda for a terrorist organisation” and “disseminating misleading information” over a December 21, 2024 statement on two Kurdish journalists killed in a reported drone strike in northern Syria.
• The groups argue the statement fell within the Bar Association’s legal mandate to defend human rights and the rule of law, calling the charges vague and legally baseless.
• In a parallel civil case, the Istanbul 2nd Civil Court of First Instance ordered the board’s removal on March 21, a decision that remains under appeal.
• The coalition warns that reliance on broad anti-terror and disinformation provisions chills lawful advocacy and undermines guarantees essential to an independent legal profession.