Turkish Prosecutors File Lawsuit Against Istanbul Bar Association Over Alleged ‘Terrorist Propaganda’
Turkish prosecutors have initiated legal action against the Istanbul Bar Association, accusing its leadership of promoting “terrorist propaganda” following its call for an investigation into the deaths of two journalists in Syria.
The Turkish Bar Association’s head, Erinc Sagkan, announced on X (formerly Twitter) that the Istanbul public prosecutor’s office had filed a lawsuit to remove the Istanbul Bar Association president, Ibrahim Kaboglu, and his executive board – Arab News reports.
The controversy stems from a December 19 incident in northern Syria in which journalists Nazim Dastan, 32, and Cihan Bilgin were killed. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported their deaths were caused by a “Turkish drone strike” during clashes between an Ankara-backed militia and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a US-supported Kurdish-led group.
The journalists worked for Syrian Kurdish media outlets Rojnews and the Anha news agency. The Turkish Journalists’ Union condemned the attack, while the Turkish military maintained that it targets only terror groups, not civilians.
The Istanbul Bar Association issued a statement following the incident, condemning the targeting of journalists in conflict zones as a violation of International Humanitarian Law and the Geneva Convention. It called for a thorough investigation into the deaths of Dastan and Bilgin, who were from Turkiye’s Kurdish-majority southeast.
Prosecutors allege the Istanbul Bar Association’s statement amounted to “making propaganda for a terrorist organization” and “publicly spreading false information,” claiming ties between the journalists and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Turkiye designates as a terrorist group.
The Istanbul Bar Association has rejected the charges, describing the lawsuit as baseless and asserting that its executive council was acting within the bounds of the Constitution and international law.
“The executive board is fulfilling its duties and responsibilities in line with democracy and legal principles,” the association said in a statement.
Turkish Bar Association head Sagkan criticized the move, saying:
“Although the methods may change, the consistent effort over the past half-century has been the government’s attempt to pressure and silence those perceived as opponents.”
This lawsuit adds to growing concerns about press freedom and judicial independence in Turkiye. Critics argue that such legal actions against bar associations and journalists reflect broader efforts to stifle dissent under the guise of counterterrorism.
The case is being closely watched by legal and human rights groups, as it raises questions about the balance between national security and freedom of expression in Turkiye.
