Turkish Government is following ‘divide and conquer strategy’ over Bar Associations

Draft law reduces leading bar associations’ authority, leads to creation of rival groups, the ICJ and Human Rights Watch said today. The Turkish government’s plan to allow for multiple bar associations appears calculated to divide the legal profession along political lines and diminish the biggest bar associations’ role as human rights watchdogs, they added.

The current bar associations have not been consulted, and 78 bars out of 80 signed a statement opposing the plan.

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