Lawyer Pirozhan Karali Güler was acquitted of all charges in the first hearing of her trial, which was based on allegations from informant witness Ümit Akbıyık. She had been accused of "membership in a terrorist organization."
The hearing took place at Diyarbakır 4th High Criminal Court, attended by Güler and her lawyers. Observers included members of the Diyarbakır Bar Association’s executive board, representatives from the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD), the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV), the Human Rights Association (İHD) Diyarbakır Branch, and numerous other lawyers.
In her defense against the accusations, Güler explained that during the period cited in the indictment, she was an executive for the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in Diyarbakır and served on the party’s legal commission. She stated that she accompanied Ümit Akbıyık, who was then a member of the HDP Youth Assembly, during his police statement as part of her professional duties. "I knew Ümit Akbıyık as a member of the HDP Youth Assembly. I accompanied him and other individuals during their statements. I requested a power of attorney, but they did not give it to me. I request my acquittal," she said.
Akbıyık participated in the hearing via the Audio and Visual Information System (SEGBİS), confirming that Güler accompanied him during his police statement and adding that he had nothing more to say.
In response to the prosecutor's demand for punishment on charges of "membership in a terrorist organization," Güler asserted, "I was only practicing law. I absolutely reject such an accusation. I request my acquittal."
Güler's lawyer, Mehdi Özdemir, disagreed with the prosecution's case, emphasizing that the sole accusation was "practicing law" and arguing that a lawyer should not be so easily prosecuted based on an unsubstantiated witness statement. He called for Güler's acquittal.
Rıza Polat, co-chair of the ÖHD Diyarbakır Branch, remarked that they faced "enemy criminal law" due to their struggle for social rights and demanded an end to the illegality directed against the legal profession and their advocacy for social rights.
The court ruled that the charges against Güler were unsubstantiated and acquitted her. The ruling also lifted her travel ban.
About the case
Lawyer Pirozhan Karali Güler was detained on April 25, 2023, during a raid on her home initiated by the investigation based on the testimony of informant witness Ümit Akbıyık. She was released with a travel ban.
The indictment prepared by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office accused Güler of "membership in a terrorist organization," citing her legal assistance to detained HDP Youth Assembly members during their police and prosecutor statements, her failure to issue professional fee receipts for her clients, and the testimony of informant witness Ümit Akbıyık as evidence of the alleged crime.
