Human rights lawyer Selçuk Kozağaçlı was re-arrested on Thursday in İstanbul, only a day after his release from Silivri Prison, where he had been detained since 2017. Kozağaçlı, the honorary chair of the Progressive Lawyers Association (ÇHD), had been ordered to be released by a court on Wednesday. However, a fresh arrest warrant was issued for him concerning the same case, which was accepted by a judge on Thursday morning.
According to the ÇHD, Kozağaçlı was taken into custody at İstanbul’s Çağlayan Courthouse, where he had gone voluntarily. The group said he was removed from the courthouse “without a hearing and without the ruling being read to him,” describing the act as a “judicial massacre” and calling on lawyers across the country to mobilise in protest. Videos shared on social media showed dozens of lawyers gathering outside the courthouse in solidarity.
Kozağaçlı has long been a well-known figure in Turkey’s legal and human rights circles, representing politically sensitive cases and often drawing criticism from the government. He has consistently denied any links to terrorism.
His supporters argue that the repeated judicial decisions against him are part of a broader crackdown on dissent and a justice system under political pressure. Turkey has been widely criticised by international rights organisations for its treatment of lawyers, journalists and opposition figures, particularly in the wake of the 2016 coup attempt.
There has been no official statement from the Turkish judiciary regarding the reasons for the new arrest order.
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