WASHINGTON, April 5, 2022 — The American Bar Association joins lawyers and legal professionals in Turkey and around the world today to commemorate Lawyers’ Day in Turkey.
The Union of Turkish Bar Associations has set aside April 5 each year to honor the vital role lawyers play to promote the rule of law. Turkish lawyers continue to be arrested, charged, tried and imprisoned for doing their jobs. In the last week alone, four lawyers were arrested for advising their clients not to confess.
In light of these attacks, the ABA reiterates its support for the professional independence of our colleagues in Turkey.
The ABA is the largest voluntary association of lawyers in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.