Attorney at Saltzman & Evinch, Gunay Evinch, argued that the US Criminal Judicial System “is not working fairly” for the two Turkish-American men detained following a brawl outside Turkish Ambassador’s residence, in May, noting that the trial is “quite politicised.” He was speaking outside the DC Superior Court, in Washington DC, Thursday. Evinch said that the defendants “formally stated that they are not guilty,” noting that it is “extraordinarily unusual” that they were detained for more than three months pending trial. The attorney, who spoke on behalf of the defendants, claimed that the US Criminal Judicial System “is not working fairly” for the Turkish-American defendants. He went on to say, “I think it all comes down to an ingrained prejudice with respect to people of Turkish heritage, Muslim heritage.” Earlier in the day, the two detained Turkish-American men plead not guilty to multiple counts of charges in an arraignment hearing. The defendants, of dual Turkish and American citizenship, were detained for their roles in the attack on protestors during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s trip to Washington DC in May.
