Verdict to be announced in trial of human rights defender and lawyer Levent Pişkin
On 18 November 2020, human rights defender and lawyer Levent Pişkin was acquitted of all charges after a ruling by the Bursa 8th Heavy Penal Court. The eleven others who were on trial with Levent Pişkin, two of whom are lawyers, were also acquitted of charges of membership of a terrorist organisation and producing terrorist propaganda.
On 18 November 2020, Bursa 8th Heavy Penal Court is expected to reach its verdict on the case of human rights defender and lawyer Levent Pişkin, who is on trial for “membership of a terrorist organisation” and “producing terrorist propaganda”, along with 11 other people. The case, which has been ongoing since 2016, could see the human rights defender imprisoned for up to 22.5 years.
Levent Pişkin is a lawyer, human rights defender and member of the Libertarian Lawyers Association (ÖHD). He has been actively involved in campaigns and advocacy work for LGBTI+ rights, minority rights, and the fight against impunity. As a human rights lawyer, he has represented a number of human rights defenders and political activists over the years. He was a lawyer for the People’s Democratic Party’s (HDP) and represented its former co-chair Selahattin Demirtas who has since been imprisoned.
On 18 November 2020, human rights defender and lawyer Levent Pişkin was acquitted of all charges after a ruling by the Bursa 8th Heavy Penal Court. The eleven others who were on trial with Levent Pişkin, two of whom are lawyers, were also acquitted of charges of membership of a terrorist organisation and producing terrorist propaganda.
Despite the objections of the defendants’ lawyers, the court did not allow an audience in the courtroom for reasons supposedly related to Covid 19. Representatives from Libertarian Lawyers Association and the Dutch embassy on behalf of the EU, as well as two Turkish MPs, were not permitted to monitor the hearing despite the fact that the size of the room would have allowed for social distancing.
In his statement to the court, Levent Pişkin said that he was a human rights defender who had been fighting for equality, democracy and human rights even before becoming a lawyer. He told the court that he believes his speaking out against the unjust arrest of People’s Democratic Party’s former co-chair Selahattin Demirtas, and acting on his behalf, was his duty and responsibility as a human rights defender and lawyer.
On 18 November 2020, Bursa 8th Heavy Penal Court is expected to reach its verdict on the case of human rights defender and lawyer Levent Pişkin, who is on trial for “membership of a terrorist organisation” and “producing terrorist propaganda”, along with 11 other people. The case, which has been ongoing since 2016, could see the human rights defender imprisoned for up to 22.5 years.
Levent Pişkin is a lawyer, human rights defender and member of the Libertarian Lawyers Association (ÖHD). He has been actively involved in campaigns and advocacy work for LGBTI+ rights, minority rights, and the fight against impunity. As a human rights lawyer, he has represented a number of human rights defenders and political activists over the years. He was a lawyer for the People’s Democratic Party’s (HDP) and represented its former co-chair Selahattin Demirtas who has since been imprisoned.
On 18 November 2020, Bursa 8th Heavy Penal Court is expected to announce its verdict in relation to charges faced by human rights defender Levent Pişkin, and 11 other individuals. The human rights defender is accused of “membership of a terrorist organisation” and “producing terrorist propaganda”. If convicted he faces between 7.5 and 22.5 years in prison
Levent Pişkin has been facing judicial harassment around these charges since 2016. On 14 November 2016, he was arrested during an early morning raid at his house and was detained for three days. Authorities accused him of using his law identification card to visit his client Selahattin Demirtaş in prison and thereafter delivering a message from Demirtaş to the popular German magazine, Der Spiegel. He was released with judicial restrictions including a travel ban.
On February 2017, the prosecutor presented an indictment against Levent Pişkin and 11 others to the court, accusing him of three criminal acts: engagement in international lobbying efforts against the country, being subscribed to the mailing list of the HDP Istanbul branch and for receiving three general messages from the mailing list, which were sent to all recipients. He was charged under vague and broadly interpreted provisions of Anti-Terror legislation in Turkey for “membership of a terrorist organisation” and “producing terrorist propaganda”.
The indictment justified the terror-related charges by claiming that “the messages in the HDP mailing list called ‘HDP Istanbul’ contained information and orders which are the same as ones sent out by the terrorist organisation PKK/KCK and published in their (PKKs) news agency ANFNews”. The prosecutor also accused the defender of receiving three messages on the mailing list which contained information on the time and date of three separate remembrance ceremonies of PKK members who were killed by Turkish security forces. Nevertheless, the prosecution did not provide any supporting evidence to link Levent Pişkin with the crimes he is accused of committing.
The prosecutor also implied that information that Pişkin gave to Der Spiegel was a form of international lobbying against Turkey. It argued that the magazine published stories that insult Turkey and its President and spread unfounded, insulting, humiliating, and belittling news aimed to discredit Turkey and the Turkish nation on the international stage.
On 30 November 2017, at the third court hearing Levent Pişkin’s travel ban was lifted, however he was not given back his passport until September 2018.
On 2 September 2020, at the ninth court hearing, the prosecution gave their final argument, which was identical to the indictment and did not take into consideration any of the arguments and evidence presented by defence lawyers over the previous three years.
Front Line Defenders is concerned that Levent Pişkin has been charged solely for his work as a lawyer and a human rights defender. It is deeply concerned by the use of Anti-Terror legislation to criminalise the human rights defender, and believes that Levent Pişkin was legitimately exercising his right to freedom of opinion and expression, and the acts he is accused of committing do not amount to crimes.
