Joint statement from 69 bar associations: Sharp rebuke of TGRT reporter's 'absolute nullity line' post

Sixty-nine bar associations across Turkey have condemned a social media post titled 'absolute nullity line' by Fatih Atik, Ankara Representative of TGRT Haber, which is close to the AKP, through a joint statement. According to reporting by Cumhuriyet Newspaper, the bar associations emphasized that the post violated lawyer-client confidentiality and contravened the fundamental principles of the profession.

In the joint statement, the phrase 'Lawyer-Client Confidentiality Cannot Be Violated' was included, and it was noted that the post in question was incompatible with the understanding of a rule of law. The bar associations stated that press freedom and the right to defense could coexist without undermining each other, but that publications exceeding the boundaries of attorney-client privilege were unacceptable.

Neither TGRT Haber nor Fatih Atik has yet provided a written response to the matter. The fact that 69 bar associations in Turkey issued a joint statement simultaneously underscores the significance attached to the issue.