ANKARA - The heads of the bar associations, who continued their "Defense March" in Ankara, were cut off by the police at the entrance of the Eskişehir road, and it was stated that the march would not be allowed on the grounds that "the public order was disrupted".

 

The 'Defense March' initiated by 53 Bar Associations organized against the new structure and election system demanded by the government is on its 4th day. Ankara Bar Association President Erinç Sağkan and hundreds of lawyers who are members of the bar association started to wait at the entrance of Eskişehir road with their robes. Öztürk Türkdoğan, Co-Chair of the Human Rights Association (İHD) also supported the march.

 

While it was expected that the group would make a press statement, entering Ankara, police stopped the bar presidents on grounds that the public order was disrupted.

 

Ankara Bar Association management and member lawyers, who were waiting at the entrance of Eskişehir road, started to walk towards the point where the bar associates were stopped. But they were also blocked by the police. While the meeting of the two groups is prevented, the negotiations between the bar presidents and the police chiefs continue. 

 

If the bar is allowed to march, they will first visit Anıtkabir and then go to the Parliament to make contacts. 53 bar presidents will take part in the march towards Ankara, while 5 bar chairs will be included in the march in Anıtkabir.