The Istanbul Bar Association Elects Ibrahim Kadioglu as President for 2024-2026 Term
In a highly anticipated event, lawyers gathered today at the Haliç Congress Center to cast their votes for the President of the Istanbul Bar Association for the term 2024-2026. With a total of 64,072 eligible members, the election saw a competitive field of 12 candidates vying for the prestigious position.
Among the candidates were Filiz Saraç and Ali Gürbüz from the Ilke Çağdaş Avukatlar Group, Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Kaboğlu from the Değişim İçin Avukatlar Group, Mert-Er Karagülle from the Değişim İçin Güçlü Baro Group, Turgay Bilge from the Avukat Hakları Group, Türkan Kara from the Genç Hukuk Hareketi, Metin Uraçin from the Istanbul Avukatlar Birliği Group, Abdülhalim Yılmaz from the Bağımsız Avukatlar Group, and Hakan Çatak from the Istanbul Milliyetçi Avukatlar Group. Additionally, Av. Yasin Şen ran as the sole independent candidate in the election.
The voting process to elect the 34th President of the Istanbul Bar Association began at 9:00 am with 161 ballot boxes set up for the members. The election, marked by a significant turnout, concluded at 5:00 pm, following which the counting process commenced.
After the ballots were counted, it was announced that Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Kaboğlu, the candidate from the Değişim İçin Avukatlar Group and former CHP parliament member, secured a substantial lead over his competitors, emerging as the new President of the Istanbul Bar Association.
According to unofficial results, Kaboğlu received 7,197 votes, followed by Av. Hasan Kılıç from the Avukatların Yükselişi Group with 5,537 votes in second place, and Av. Turgay Bilge from the Avukat Hakları Group with 4,993 votes in third place. Av. Filiz Saraç from the Ilke Çağdaş Avukatlar Group garnered 4,067 votes, while her fellow group member Av. Ali Gürbüz received 3,987 votes.
In a post-election press statement, Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Kaboğlu expressed his gratitude for the support and outlined his plans for the future of the Istanbul Bar Association. He emphasized the importance of upholding the rule of law and ensuring that the Bar Association continues to serve as a beacon for justice in the legal community.
Regarding his administration’s agenda, Kaboğlu stated, “Starting tomorrow morning, we will begin implementing our plans step by step. We will focus on initiatives that are within the current legal framework, propose legislative changes where necessary, and take a firm stance on constitutional matters. It is crucial to remember that the Istanbul Bar Association is not a corporation but a large organization where lawyers come together to uphold the principles of justice and the rule of law.”
However, Kaboğlu’s leadership team appointment raised eyebrows as it included lawyers representing Abdullah Öcalan, the leader of the PKK terrorist organization, and attorneys defending individuals accused of involvement with terrorist activities.
The Istanbul Bar Association’s election of Ibrahim Kaboğlu as its new President marks a significant moment for the legal community in Turkey. As he takes on the responsibilities of leading the Bar Association for the next two years, all eyes will be on Kaboğlu to see how he navigates the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
