In a significant international legal intervention, Human Rights Watch (HRW) along with 11 other global legal and human rights organizations, has called on a court in Türkiye to terminate proceedings against the executive board of the Istanbul Bar Association (ISBA). These organizations have submitted an amicus curiae brief to the Istanbul 26th Heavy Penal Court, challenging the legitimacy of the charges and civil sanctions imposed on the ISBA, asserting that they contravene Türkiye's obligations under international human rights law.

The controversy stems from a statement issued by the ISBA on December 21, 2024, decrying the alleged killing of two Kurdish journalists in a drone strike in northern Syria and calling for the release of protesters detained during a demonstration in Istanbul on the same day. This led to the prosecution of the ISBA president and ten board members on charges of "propaganda for a terrorist organisation" and "disseminating misleading information." In a related legal action in March 2025, the Istanbul 2nd Civil Court of First Instance ruled to remove the ISBA board for overstepping its bounds, a decision currently under appeal.

The coalition of rights groups, including Amnesty International, the International Commission of Jurists, and the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe, have defended the actions of the ISBA, stating that they were well within their mandate to uphold human rights and the rule of law. They argue that the criminal and civil actions against the ISBA are retaliatory measures for lawful professional conduct.

Furthermore, the groups criticized the vague nature of the anti-terrorism and disinformation laws employed in these cases. They emphasized that these laws fail to meet the standards of legality, necessity, and proportionality required by international law, and argued that the ISBA’s statements did not incite violence or endorse terrorism.

Notable figures such as Dinushika Dissanayake, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Europe, and Thierry Wickers, President of the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe, have voiced their concerns, describing the prosecution as part of a broader pattern of targeting legal professionals in Türkiye and an assault on the independence of the legal profession. Baroness Helena Kennedy of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute deemed the proceedings as "legally indefensible and politically alarming."

The collective stance of these organizations is clear: bar associations must have the freedom to express concerns over legal and human rights issues without facing intimidation or repercussions. They strongly urged the court to dismiss the case, highlighting the critical role that legal bodies like the ISBA play in safeguarding human rights and the principles of justice.