On the 5th anniversary of the killing of Tahir Elçi, 43 international lawyers and human rights organizations issued a statement to draw attention to the case:

The undersigned organisations have been following recent developments in the case involving  the prosecution of police officers allegedly involved in the killing of human rights lawyer Tahir Elçi  in November 2015. We are concerned that the prosecution, as well as the court before which this  case is being heard, fails to respect fair trial rights. We are further troubled by the Turkish  authorities’ continued violation of Turkey’s international legal obligations to carry out a prompt, effective, impartial, and independent investigation into the death of one of its citizens and to  ensure a fair trial by an impartial and independent tribunal for those accused of the killing of Tahir  Elçi. The first hearing in this case, as described below, raises significant doubts that proceedings  will be independent, impartial, and capable of establishing the facts and truth around the killing of  Mr. Elçi and holding accountable those responsible for that killing, in accordance with international  law binding on Turkey, as well as the 2016 United Nations (UN) Manual on the Effective  Prevention and Investigation of Extra-Legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions (Minnesota  Protocol) on the Investigation of Potentially Unlawful Death. 

We are also concerned that the rights of the family of Tahir Elçi have not been respected during  the criminal proceedings, as required by the Turkish Code of Criminal Procedure. Mr. Elçi’s family  members have not been assured of their right to full and effective remedies and a fair trial, as  guaranteed by Turkey’s international obligations, including access to justice and reparations as  set out in the Minnesota Protocol.

A Call to the Turkish Authorities 

This was the first hearing in what may be a protracted trial of the police officers accused of the  homicide of Tahir Elçi. We call on the Turkish authorities to ensure that: 

  1. The case is heard by an independent, impartial, and competent court that is capable of  establishing the facts and truth around the killing of Mr. Elçi;  
  2. All future hearings comply with international standards regarding the right to a fair trial, in  which the victims’ rights are also recognised; 
  3. The hostile attitude from the court towards the Elçi family and their lawyers and the court’s  persistent refusal to follow the rules of procedure and principles of both domestic and  international law are not repeated in future hearings; 
  4. The lawyers for the Elçi family are given reasonable opportunities to be heard and to make  their applications in relation to the procedure and the evidence; 
  5. Where submissions are refused, reasons for refusal are given in accordance with the case law of the ECtHR; 
  6. Following a fair judicial procedure, those who are responsible for Mr. Elçi’s killing are held  accountable and serve sentences appropriate to the gravity of the crime committed; and 
  7. Mr. Elçi’s family is provided with appropriate redress for the violations they and their loved  one have suffered in accordance with the international obligations of Turkey and the  Minnesota Protocol.

Click for the whole statement.  

Amsterdam Bar Association, the Netherlands 

Article 19 

Article 21, Italy 

Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales, the United Kingdom Cartoonists Rights Network International 

Council of Bars and Law Societies in Europe (CCBE) 

Danish PEN 

The European Association of Lawyers (AEA-EAL) 

European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights (ELDH) The European Bars Federation (FBE) and FBE Human Rights Commission European Criminal Bar Association (ECBA) 

Fair Trial Watch, the Netherlands 

Gelderland Bar Association, the Netherlands 

Geneva Bar Association, Switzerland 

German Bar Association (DAV), Germany 

Giuristi Democratici, Italy 

The Group of International Legal Intervention (GIGI) 

The Hague Bar Association, the Netherlands 

Human Rights in Practice, the Netherlands 

The Institute for the Rule of Law of the International Association of Lawyers (UIA-IROL) The International Association of People's Lawyers (IAPL) 

The International Observatory of Human Rights (IOHR) 

Index on Censorship 

International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL) 

The joint Presidents of the Local Bar Associations of the Netherlands The Law Society of England and Wales, the United Kingdom 

Lawyers for Lawyers, the Netherlands 

Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada, Canada 

Limburg Bar Association, the Netherlands 

Midden-Nederland Bar Association, the Netherlands 

The National Association of Democratic Lawyers, South Africa 

National Forensic Union M. G. A., Italy 

National Lawyers Guild International Committee, the United States of America

Netherlands Helsinki Committee, the Netherlands 

Noord-Holland Bar Association, the Netherlands 

Noord-Nederland Bar Association, the Netherlands 

Oost-Brabant Bar Association the Netherlands 

Overijssel Bar Association, the Netherlands 

Research Institute on Turkey, the United States of America Rotterdam Bar Association, the Netherlands 

Swiss Democratic Lawyers, Switzerland 

Turkey Human Rights Litigation Support Project, the United Kingdom Zeeland-West-Brabant Bar Association, the Netherlands