Head of the Bar Association: detention of lawyer Murat Metin Hakkı requires clarification

Hasan Esendağlı, president of the Cyprus Turkish Bar Association, stated that the decision to detain lawyer Murat Metin Hakkı requires explanation and will be subject to oversight by the Bar.

According to Esendağlı, the association currently has information that the court issued an order for Hakkı’s detention. He raised the question of what facts and evidence convinced the court of the necessity of detaining the lawyer upon entry into the territory and issuing a search warrant for his office.

Esendağlı emphasized that clarifying these circumstances is important to determine whether the personal right to freedom and the professional privileges of the lawyer were violated, and who would be responsible in case of such violation. The Bar announced its intention to monitor the process both in the police and in court, and promised to keep the public informed about the further development of the case.

Earlier local reports indicated that the detention and search were initiated by the İskele police; no official information on the details of the charges has yet been published.