AIDC WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE ITS SUPPORT FOR PROFESSOR IBRAHIM KABOGLU, AT A TIME WHEN HE IS CALLED TO APPEAR BEFORE THE ASSIZE COURT FOR REASONS RELATED TO HIS PROFESSIONAL COMMITMENTS
28 March 2018
Ibrahim Kaboğlu, Professor of Constitutional Law, President of the Constitutional Law Research Association and a member of the Istanbul Bar, is being prosecuted for "terrorist propaganda".
His colleagues who welcomed him as a visiting professor or lecturer can testify not only to his great qualities as a researcher, but also to his sense of restraint, his deep humanity, and the strength of his convictions that have never called for violence.
Like 1128 other academics, in January 2016, he signed the "petition for peace". The petition was published several months before the coup attempt in July 2016 but was included in the crackdown that followed the attempted coup and the proclamation of a state of emergency.
Ibrahim Kaboğlu was dismissed from his position as Professor of Law at Istanbul's Marmara University by the Decree of 7 February 2017 (issued under the state of emergency).
Ibrahim Kaboğlu’s passport was confiscated although he had begun delivering his lectures in France as a visiting professor at Paris III University. Just because of this, he cannot participate in international symposia. He will be unable to Chair Workshop 19 (on Conflicts, Peacebuilding and Constitutional Law) at the 10th World Congress of Constitutional Law as planned, just as he has been unable to participate in 10 conferences to which he was invited.
A criminal investigation was launched against the signatories of the petition. The trial began on 5 December 2017. Ibrahim Kaboğlu was summoned before the Istanbul 36th Assize Court on 21 December.
The second hearing will be held on 26 April 2018. Ibrahim Kaboğlu risks being sentenced to a prison term of between one and 7 and a half years and, furthermore, to the deprivation of all his political and civil rights.
The IACL reiterates its strong condemnation of the dismissal of Prof Kaboğlu without due process, and without any evidence that could associate him with the failed coup of 15 July 2016, or any kind of terrorist activity. The prospect of conviction on spurious charges, with potentially serious consequences for him and his family, are regrettable and would aggravate the already grave violation of basic principles of the rule of law, democracy and international human rights on the part of the Turkish government.
The President of the IACL, Prof Manuel Cepeda, is available for interviews relating to this statement and can be contacted at
LEADERSHIP OF THE IACL
President/Président
Manuel Cepeda-Espinosa (Colombia/Colombie)
Presidents Emeriti/Présidents Emérites
Jovan Djordjevic † (Serbia/Serbie)
Patrice Gélard (France)
Thomas Fleiner (Switzerland/Suisse)
Michel Rosenfeld (USA)
Cheryl Saunders (Australia/Australie)
Didier Maus (France)
Martin Scheinin (Finland/Finlande)
Honorary Presidents/Présidents d'honneur
Piet Akkermans † (Netherlands/Pays-Bas)
Cardoso da Costa (Portugal)
José Luis Cea Egaña (Chile/Chili)
Louis Favoreu † (France)
Louis Henkin † (USA)
Yoichi Higuchi (Japan/Japon)
George Kassimatis (Greece/Grèce)
Naoki Kobayashi (Japan/Japon)
Salvador Lozada (Argentina/Argentine)
Kostas Mavrias (Greece/Grèce)
Pavle Nikolic (Serbia/Serbie)
Christian Starck (Germany/Allemagne)
Guiseppe de Vergottini (Italy/Italie)
First Vice-president/Premier vice-président
Adrienne Stone (Australia/Australie)
Vice-presidents/Vice-présidents
Nadia Bernoussi (Morocco/Maroc)
Marcelo Figueiredo (Brazil/Brésil)
Charles Fombad (Cameroon/Cameroun)
Lech Garlicki (Poland/Pologne)
Mo Jihong (China/Chine)
Bertrand Mathieu (France)
Jaehwang Jeong
Executive Committee/Comité Exécutif
Zaid Al-Ali (Iraq/Irak)
Maria Lucia Amaral (Portugal)
Eva Brems (Belgium/Belgique)
Surya Deva (India/Inde)
Selin Esen (Turkey/Turquie)
Francisco Javier Garcia Roca (Spain/Espagne)
Tom Ginsburg (USA)
Werner Heun (Germany/Allemagne)
Chong Jong-Sup (Korea/Corée)
George Katrougalos (Greece/Grèce)
Helle Krunke (Denmark/Danemark)
César Landa Arroyo (Peru/Pérou)
Andrew Le Sueur (UK/Royaume-Uni)
Susanna Mancini (Italy/Italie)
Mulela Margaret Munalula (Zambia/Zambie)
Suzie Navot (Israe/Israël)
Enyinna Nwauche (Nigeria)
Harry Roque (Philippines)
Jose Maria Serna (Mexico/Mexique)
Elena Simina Tanasescu (Romania)
Miyoko Tsujimura (Japan)
Renata Uitz (Hungary)
Grégoire Webber (Canada)
Secretary General/Secrétaire Général
David Bilchitz (South Africa/Afrique du Sud)
Deputy Secretary General & Treasurer/Secrétaire Général Adjoint & Trésorier
Norman Taku (South Africa/Afrique du Sud)
Venice Commission representative/Représentant de la Commission de Venise
Gianni Buquicchio (Italy/Italie)