NBA Condemns Trial Of Istanbul Bar Leaders, Demands End To Proceedings

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has expressed deep concern over the ongoing criminal and civil proceedings against the leadership of the Istanbul Bar Association in Türkiye, describing the actions as an attack on the independence of the legal profession.

In a statement jointly signed by its President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, and General Secretary, Dr. Mobolaji Ojibara, the NBA noted that the charges arose from a December 21, 2024 statement by the Istanbul Bar, which highlighted international protections for journalists in conflict zones, demanded accountability for the deaths of two Kurdish journalists allegedly killed in a drone strike, and called for the release of detained protesters and lawyers.

The association condemned the prosecution of Istanbul Bar President, Professor İbrahim Kaboğlu, alongside ten executive members on allegations of “propaganda for a terrorist organisation” and “disseminating misleading information.” It also faulted the civil proceedings that dissolved the Bar’s executive board, describing both moves as “a clear assault on the independence of the legal profession.”

Aligning itself with concerns earlier raised by international bodies including the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), Amnesty International, the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE), Human Rights Watch, and the International Commission of Jurists, the NBA said Türkiye’s actions were incompatible with its international human rights obligations, particularly regarding freedom of expression, association, and the rule of law.

The NBA stressed that such proceedings risk setting “a dangerous precedent that could silence bar associations worldwide from carrying out their statutory and internationally recognised duties.”

The association therefore:

1. Called on Turkish authorities to discontinue both the criminal and civil proceedings against the Istanbul Bar leadership.
2. Urged respect for the rights of lawyers and bar associations to freely engage in advocacy without fear of intimidation or dissolution.
3. Reaffirmed its solidarity with the Istanbul Bar Association and commitment to defending the legal profession as a cornerstone of democracy and the rule of law.

“The Nigerian Bar Association remains steadfast in its duty to resist any attempt, anywhere in the world, to weaken the independence of lawyers and bar associations,” the statement added.