The Istanbul Bar Association held a press conference at its headquarters in Beyoğlu, where President İbrahim Kaboğlu addressed the case brought by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. The lawsuit seeks the dismissal of Kaboğlu and his board and calls for new elections. Dozens of lawyers were joined by representatives of prominent professional organisations, including the Istanbul Medical Chamber (İTO), the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) and the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK).
In his speech, Kaboğlu described the lawsuit as a direct attack on the democratic foundations of the legal profession. “This is an attempt to override the will of thousands of lawyers who voted for our administration in the October 2024 elections,” he said. He denied the allegations against the Bar’s leadership and stressed its unwavering commitment to upholding constitutional principles, professional ethics and the rule of law.
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The Bar President also announced the Extraordinary Congress as a platform to reaffirm democratic values within the profession. “We call on all our colleagues to join us on 23 February to resist this attack on democracy and the independence of the legal profession. The only way to democracy is through the rule of law,” said Kaboğlu.
Former president of the Istanbul Bar Association, Filiz Saraç, criticised the case as part of a wider effort to delegitimise independent institutions. “Portraying our bar as a ‘terrorist organisation’ is a baseless and dangerous tactic. The lawyers of this bar are highly competent professionals who will resist any attempt to deprive them of their rights and democratic choices,” she said.
Mehmet Durakoğlu, another former president, highlighted the wider implications of the intervention, warning that it reflected a growing authoritarian trend. “This is a calculated strategy to undermine the legal profession through legal means. We have resisted such pressure before and we will continue to defend our independence. Those who are elected by the vote will only go through the vote,” Durakoğlu said.
The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party also criticised the case, describing it as a political attack disguised as legal action. In a statement, the party linked the move to the government’s wider strategy of appointing trustees to elected institutions, including local governments and professional organisations.
“This case is not just a legal matter, but part of a broader effort to silence dissent and dismantle independent institutions,” the statement said. It also highlighted the Istanbul Bar Association’s outspoken stance on issues such as freedom of expression, unlawful detentions and gender-based violence as reasons for the political targeting.
Legal scholars and professionals argue that the case has no constitutional or legal basis, citing Article 135 of the Constitution and Articles 76 and 95 of the Law on Lawyers, which protect the autonomy of bar associations. Critics see the move as an attempt to undermine the independence of the judiciary and stifle dissent.
“This intervention is not only about the Istanbul Bar Association; it’s a warning to all professional organisations that are committed to defending democratic principles,” said a spokesman for the DEM Party. “We stand in solidarity with the Istanbul Bar Association and all those who are fighting to preserve democracy and the rule of law.”
