DENİZ TEKİN
The trial of lawyer Adile Salman, who is facing charges of "membership in a terrorist organization" due to the testimony of informant Ümit Akbıyık, continued at the Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court. The court requested the Diyarbakır Police Department to verify whether there are any records of searches or criminal investigations involving Salman.
Salman, who is being tried for her professional activities, was present at the hearing, which was attended by members of the Diyarbakır Bar Association, the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD), and the Human Rights Association (IHD), as well as representatives from Défense Sans Frontières (Lawyers Without Borders), including Françoise Cotta and Christine Martinea. Many lawyers were also in attendance to observe the proceedings.
Key testimony and defense
Testifying via SEGBIS (Turkey’s judicial video system), informant Ümit Akbıyık claimed that he spoke with Salman in 2021 before the HDP Youth Congress in Diyarbakır regarding some detentions. He further stated that Salman represented two detainees during their questioning but had no other information about her.
Salman, in her defense, rejected Akbıyık’s claims, asserting that she had no connections to any organization and did not know Akbıyık. Her lawyer, Servet Özen, emphasized that Salman was being prosecuted for her legal work and requested the removal of unrelated documents from the case file.
Defense lawyer Mehdi Özdemir expressed concern that Akbıyık’s testimony was criminalizing the right to legal representation. He argued that the statements were turning compulsory legal defense into a crime. Another lawyer, Gizem Miran, rejected Akbıyık’s claims about the ÖHD and pointed out that as a suspect himself, Akbıyık’s testimony aimed at avoiding prosecution should not be trusted. Miran added that Salman was on trial because of her efforts to fight human rights violations.
The court ruled to inquire with the Diyarbakır Counterterrorism Branch (TEM) about whether there are any search or criminal records related to Salman and postponed the trial until December 12, 2024.
Background of the case
Adile Salman’s trial stems from the testimony of informant Ümit Akbıyık, which led to her detention on April 25, 2023. Salman was released under judicial control after the initial investigation.
The Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has charged Salman with "membership in a terrorist organization," seeking a prison sentence ranging from 7.5 to 15 years. The indictment points to Salman’s phone conversations with colleagues, her membership in the ÖHD, and her involvement in representing individuals detained for political activities as evidence of her alleged involvement with the PKK.
