ANKARA - The bar associations that initiated a 'Defense March' have been barricaded by the police at the enterance of Ankara. Lawyers who are barricaded by the police and the armoured vehicles aren't allowed in or out.

 

Lawyers who started a "Defense March" from many provinces to Ankara on June 19, against the law that will change the law system and the election system of the bar associations, are not allowed in the capital city of Turkey. Lawyers who walked for three days encountered obstacles in each province and district they visited. The heads of the bar associations, who are stopped by the police at the entrance of Ankara yesterday, are not allowed in the city.

 

NO ACCESS TO FOOD

 

The lawyers whom the police intervened 5 times were stuck in the middle of barricades through the night. The lawyers who are under blockade, aren't allowed to go outside of the barricades. While the demand of the lawyers for some chairs was denied, the food brought by Ankara Bar Association was confiscated by the police. Distribution of raincoats and soup sent by Ankara Metropolitan Municipality was allowed late at night.

 

While the lawyers aren't even allowed to use the bathroom, which is outside of the police barricades, the situation was interpreted as active detention. Lawyers protested the situation and told the police they would be allowed to use the bathroom if they were detained in a police station and a potable toilet was installed.

 

Police approached the bar presidents in the middle of the night and tried to fine them for not using masks. Bar presidents protested the approach of the police and told that their colleagues aren't using masks either.

 

3 LINES OF BARRICADES PLACED

 

While the bar presidents were cleaning the area early this morning, police strengthened the barricades and placed 2 more lines. Bar presidents are held behind 3 lines of police barricades. Bilecik Bar Vice President were not allowed to join his colleagues behind the police barricades. 

 

KEEP SMILING DESPITE ALL OF THIS

 

Antep Bar President Bektaş Şarklı who were battered by the police yesterday, shared the message 'I am ok. We are ok. Keep smiling despite all of this'.

 

Antalya Bar President Polat Balkan said: "We are right and legitimate. Whatever thety do, we will succeed. "