him to make false statements while he was in custody.30 The case was concluded on January 24, 2013 in the Ankara 11th Assize Court. The court convicted them for being “members of an illegal organisation”and sentenced Taş to 10 years and 6 months, Kalaycı to 7 years and 6 months, and Hasan Anlar, Halil İbrahim Vargün and Murat Vargün to 6 years and 3 months each in prison.31 The statement made by İHD concerning this decision concluded that the lawyers were punished for their professional activities and their work as HRDs.32 30 Human Rights Defender Kalaycı Released (01.02.2010; Bianet): https://m.bianet.org/english/print/119766-human-rights-defenderkalayci-released 31 Turkey: Sentencing of four lawyers members of IHD Ankara Branch (05.02.2013; International Federation for Human Rights): https://www. fidh.org/en/region/europe-central-asia/turkey/Turkey-Sentencing-offour-lawyers-12830 32 İnsan Hakları Savunuculuğu ve İHD’ye Baskılar (13.04.2020; Human Rights Association), p. 26-27: https://www.ihd.org.tr/wp-content/ uploads/2020/04/20200413_IHDIHSBaskilarOzelRaporu.pdf ASRIN CASE Newroz Celebrations in Diyarbakır. (Fotography: Nar Photos) Direct and systematic interventions against lawyers started in 2011. The 46 lawyers of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, who is held in a prison on İmralı Island, were taken into custody on November 22, 2011 in a synchronous operation in various provinces. Prior to the operation, the lawyers had been targeted through media outlets known for their close ties to the government. Of the lawyers taken into custody, 36 of the 46 were arrested on charges of “membership of a terrorist organisation” and “directing a 20 A DEFENSELESS DEFENSE terrorist organisation.”33 Some of the lawyers who were released at intervals remained in detention for 2.5 years. As in many subsequent cases, the indictment rife with errors with respect to procedural and substantive law, including the violation of attorney-client privileges.34 Even the interrogations of the lawyers on trial were not conducted in line with procedures. Despite violating the laws, the lawyers’ meetings with their client (Abdullah Öcalan) 33 70 Arrests in Istanbul and Diyarbakir (28.11.2010; Bianet): https://bianet.org/english/minorities/134338-70-arrests-inistanbul-and-diyarbakir 34 Turkey Joint letter for Turkish lawyers (16.07.2012; Lawyers for Lawyers): https://lawyersforlawyers.org/en/turkeyjoint-letter-for-turkish-lawyers/ ASRIN CASE 21