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TURKEY'S FIRST OMBUDSMAN SWORN IN
Today's Zaman
Dec 5 2012
Turkey
Turkey's first ombudsman, Mehmet Nihat Omeroglu, was sworn in
at Parliament on Wednesday amid protests from the main opposition
Republican People's Party (CHP) and the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy
Party (BDP).
Atilla Kart from the CHP petitioned the parliament speaker for the
ceremony to be postponed but in response the speaker's office said
Omeroglu would be sworn in as planned.
While Omeroglu took his place to swear in, CHP deputies in the
General Assembly held signboards on which "Akbudsman" -- with the
"Ak" representing the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) -- was
written, implying that Omeroglu would not be able serve impartially
and would act as an ombudsman for the AK Party.
When asked by journalists whether he had anticipated any protests from
CHP deputies, Omeroglu, who left the General Assembly following the
oath-taking ceremony, said: "Lawmakers are free to do what they want.
Not only can they say anything, they can also protest anything. This
is natural in democracies."
The CHP is against Omeroglu being elected as chief ombudsman due to
a controversial ruling regarding Hrant Dink which Omeroglu had voted
for while he was a member of the Supreme Court of Appeals. Omeroglu
was one of the judges at the Supreme Court of Appeals who approved of a
local court's ruling against Dink on charges of "insulting Turkishness"
according to Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), which was
later amended.
Dink was shot dead by an ultranationalist youth in front of the offices
of the Armenian Agos weekly. The perpetrator of the attack, Ogun
Samast, said he was disturbed about Dink's "insulting Turkishness." In
remarks that appeared earlier in the media, Omeroglu said he was
not even aware that Dink had been convicted over Article 301. Dink's
brother, Hosrof Dink, voiced his concern about Omeroglu's remarks,
saying that instead of being held accountable for his stance in the
Dink trial, he was awarded the position of chief ombudsman.
The Ombudsman's Office will be responsible for examining and
investigating all manner of administrative acts, actions, attitudes
and behavior in terms of respect for human rights and freedoms,
conformity with the law and fairness and appropriateness within the
framework of the character of the Republic of Turkey as enshrined
in its Constitution. It will perform its functions as part of the
Parliament Speaker's Office. The Ombudsman's Office will be called
the Public Monitoring Institution (KDK) and will have an independent
and autonomous budget.
From: Baghdasarian
Today's Zaman
Dec 5 2012
Turkey
Turkey's first ombudsman, Mehmet Nihat Omeroglu, was sworn in
at Parliament on Wednesday amid protests from the main opposition
Republican People's Party (CHP) and the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy
Party (BDP).
Atilla Kart from the CHP petitioned the parliament speaker for the
ceremony to be postponed but in response the speaker's office said
Omeroglu would be sworn in as planned.
While Omeroglu took his place to swear in, CHP deputies in the
General Assembly held signboards on which "Akbudsman" -- with the
"Ak" representing the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) -- was
written, implying that Omeroglu would not be able serve impartially
and would act as an ombudsman for the AK Party.
When asked by journalists whether he had anticipated any protests from
CHP deputies, Omeroglu, who left the General Assembly following the
oath-taking ceremony, said: "Lawmakers are free to do what they want.
Not only can they say anything, they can also protest anything. This
is natural in democracies."
The CHP is against Omeroglu being elected as chief ombudsman due to
a controversial ruling regarding Hrant Dink which Omeroglu had voted
for while he was a member of the Supreme Court of Appeals. Omeroglu
was one of the judges at the Supreme Court of Appeals who approved of a
local court's ruling against Dink on charges of "insulting Turkishness"
according to Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), which was
later amended.
Dink was shot dead by an ultranationalist youth in front of the offices
of the Armenian Agos weekly. The perpetrator of the attack, Ogun
Samast, said he was disturbed about Dink's "insulting Turkishness." In
remarks that appeared earlier in the media, Omeroglu said he was
not even aware that Dink had been convicted over Article 301. Dink's
brother, Hosrof Dink, voiced his concern about Omeroglu's remarks,
saying that instead of being held accountable for his stance in the
Dink trial, he was awarded the position of chief ombudsman.
The Ombudsman's Office will be responsible for examining and
investigating all manner of administrative acts, actions, attitudes
and behavior in terms of respect for human rights and freedoms,
conformity with the law and fairness and appropriateness within the
framework of the character of the Republic of Turkey as enshrined
in its Constitution. It will perform its functions as part of the
Parliament Speaker's Office. The Ombudsman's Office will be called
the Public Monitoring Institution (KDK) and will have an independent
and autonomous budget.
From: Baghdasarian