Former İzmir Bar President Özkan Yücel Honored as Rights Defender

A somber ceremony was held outside the İzmir Bar Association building to bid farewell to Özkan Yücel, the former president of the association, who passed away at the age of 61 following a heart attack on June 18.

İzmir Bar Association President Sefa Yılmaz delivered a heartfelt tribute, describing Yücel not merely as a lawyer but as a "fighter for rights." He emphasized Yücel's lifelong dedication to justice, human rights, and democracy, noting his tireless efforts to help everyone regardless of their background. Yılmaz remarked on the unexpected nature of Yücel's passing, which drew a large crowd of friends and colleagues from across Turkey, underscoring his broad influence.

"He was not just a lawyer; he was a fighter for rights," Yılmaz stated. "He approached his profession not just as a job, but as a human being. Wherever there was wrong, wherever there was injustice, wherever there was lawlessness, he fought against it." Yılmaz also referenced the writer Yaşar Kemal, suggesting Yücel had ridden off on a "beautiful horse" to continue his struggles elsewhere.

Erinç Sağkan, President of the Turkish Bar Association (TBB), also spoke, calling Yücel "a defender of justice, a friend, a brave lawyer, a brother, a father, a son, and a fearless person." Sağkan highlighted Yücel's courage and his role as a trusted confidant for those in need.

The ceremony was attended by a significant number of dignitaries, including the President of the Union of Bar Associations of Turkey, the Mayor of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, the President of the Istanbul Bar Association, and many other bar presidents, parliament members, and local officials, alongside numerous lawyers and citizens.