'Greeting' investigation against imprisoned lawyer 

2024-11-19 09:37:46


	ISTANBUL - Lawyer Bedirhan Sarsılmaz, who was arrested for his professional activities, was subjected to disciplinary proceedings for greeting and hugging his client H.A., who is in the same prison.

	As part of an investigation launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, house raids were conducted in several districts of Istanbul on October 25. During the house raids, 40 people, including member of the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) lawyer Bedirhan Sarsılmaz, were detained. On October 30, 19 of the 40 people were arrested on charges of “being an illegal organization member”, while 21 people were released on judicial control conditions.

	 

	

	It is learned that the investigation by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against Sarsılmaz, whose professional activities and phone calls were charged and who was arrested, was based on alleged “intelligence” information.

	 

	Since October 30, Sarsılmaz has been detained in Marmara Prison (Silivri), and it is learned that a disciplinary investigation was opened against him at high speed. Sarsılmaz was meeting with his lawyer and colleague in the lawyer visit cabin of the prison, and after the meeting he met his client in the same prison. Sarsılmaz greeted his client and was intervened by the wardens and was prevented from greeting him. Reacting to this situation, Sarsılmaz turned to the guards and stated that greetings were a humanitarian situation. 

	 

	OBJECTION OBJECTED

	 

	At the time of the incident, no report was filed against Sarsılmaz, but after the incident, the guards filed a report. An investigation was opened by the prison's Disciplinary Presidency within the scope of the report.  It is stated that Sarsılmaz objected to the investigation against him.

	 

	INVESTIGATION FOR GREETING

	 

	In the information letter sent to Sarsılmaz by the Marmara Prison Administration regarding the disciplinary investigation, the following statements were made: “A disciplinary investigation has been initiated against you in order to determine the incident in which you shook hands with the detainee named H.A., who finished his meeting with his lawyer in the 2nd meeting cabin and came out of the meeting cabin while your meeting was continuing in the 3rd meeting cabin in the lawyer's area, and that you continued to hug and greet the said person by ignoring the warnings of the officer in charge.”