Lawyers discussed the grounds for a joint struggle against the obstacles facing university students’ freedom of expression and association at the workshop organized by the Civic Space Studies Association. The meeting resulted in the decision to expand the Lawyers’ Network for Student Cases, established two years ago, and to consolidate legal strategies.

Civic Space Studies Association held the second “Workshop on Student Cases for Lawyers” at the Istanbul Taksim Square Hotel on January 10, 2026. The workshop aims to mobilize the legal community against rights violations suffered by university students. Attendees included trainee lawyers, law students, and experienced expert lawyers. Critical topics ranging from disciplinary investigations to ECtHR processes and the right to education of imprisoned students to civil society solidarity were addressed during the meeting.

“Our goal is to create a pool of experience”

Speaking at the opening of the event, Berna Akkızal, director of the Civic Space Studies Association, emphasized the importance of collective memory in the legal struggle. She summarized the workshop’s main goal as “creating a strong pool of knowledge, expertise, and experience among lawyers who handle student cases or wish to show solidarity in this area.” She emphasized that solidarity between civic space and lawyers is the most effective tool in fighting rights violations.

Investigations and International Mechanisms

During the workshop’s technical sessions, practical solutions were offered for the legal obstacles most frequently encountered by students.

-Disciplinary Scrutiny: Attorney Baver Kaya shared with participants the legal dimensions of disciplinary investigations at universities, as well as defense strategies in these processes based on recent precedent decisions.

-International Appeal Mechanisms: Attorney Benan Molu explained how to initiate proceedings before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) after exhausting domestic legal remedies. Molu provided critical tips on how to avoid technical errors in applications.

Prisoners’ Education Rights

One of the most noteworthy topics discussed at the meeting was the situation of students who have been deprived of their freedom. İpek Özel joined the meeting online and shared her experiences as a guardian of imprisoned students, as well as the bureaucratic obstacles and legal struggles they face in accessing their right to education. Attorney Özge Akyüz from the Civil Society in the Penal System Association  (CİSST) presented data on prison conditions and civil society monitoring activities in this area.

Additionally, Attorney Zeynep Kıvılcım spoke about her experiences with the “Solidarity Initiative with Detained Students,” explaining how past solidarity practices shed light on the present.

Result: “We Are Part of the Network”

The roundtable workshop featured intensive information sharing and concluded with a strong declaration of intent from the participants. The lawyers agreed to expand the “Lawyer Network for Student Cases,” which was established two years ago to provide students with access to legal support and to participate in it actively.