The İstanbul Bar Association on Friday denounced the arrest of a lawyer representing jailed İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, the biggest political rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, calling it a dangerous criminalization of legal defense and a violation of constitutional rights, the Evrensel news website reported.
Lawyer Mehmet Pehlivan was arrested late Thursday by İstanbul’s 9th Criminal Court of Peace on charges of membership in a criminal organization. He had previously been questioned in connection with a sweeping corruption probe that led to İmamoğlu’s arrest in March. Prosecutors claim Pehlivan’s legal work amounted to aiding a so-called “crime ring,” allegations he has denied.
“The detention order against our colleague is based solely on professional activities; in this respect, the foundation of our profession has been criminalized,” the bar said in a written statement.
“Mehmet Pehlivan is a lawyer, he practices law, and he is a member of the İstanbul Bar Association,” the bar added.
The statement further said the court’s decision disregards constitutional protections, including Article 19 on personal liberty and Article 13, which requires proportionality in restricting fundamental rights.
“The deprivation of our colleague’s liberty in this manner is not only an individual violation,” the statement read. “It is an institutional and public violation for all lawyers.”
Pehlivan’s arrest marks a deepening of what rights groups call a politically motivated crackdown following İmamoğlu’s detention in March. The opposition mayor, widely viewed as Erdogan’s top challenger in the 2028 presidential election, was jailed on corruption charges. His arrest triggered a wider investigation that has so far implicated at least 47 opposition figures and city officials, with 30 arrests reported.
The İstanbul Bar Association stated that they do not accept their colleague being deprived of his liberty for carrying out his professional duties, adding, “This grave injustice must end without delay.”
Pehlivan was previously detained in March and released under judicial supervision amid separate accusations of money laundering. He denied the accusations, saying he was being targeted for representing the jailed mayor. He accused prosecutors of conducting investigations based on erroneous and false reports as well as witness statements rooted in gossip.