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AMNESTY ON THE WAY, OR ALREADY GRANTED?
Today's Zaman, Turkey
March 11 2014
GUNAY HÄ°LAL AYGUN
In the wake of the adoption of a new law to decrease the maximum
detention period to five years, a Turkish court has ruled for the
release of a number of suspects in many controversial trials since
March 7, when the suspects' lawyers demanded their release.
The first in the series of releases was issued for Erhan Tuncel,
known as "big brother," who is a key suspect in the 2007 murder of
Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink. This was followed by the
release of five individuals caught red-handed torturing and killing
three Christian missionaries at a book store in the southeastern
province of Malatya. While the Turkish public was still outraged by
these shocking court decisions, there came yet another controversial
release. On Monday afternoon, the Ä°stanbul 21st High Criminal Court
ruled to release seven suspects in the Ergenekon coup-plot trial,
including journalist Tuncay Ozkan, gang leader Sedat Peker and
retired Col. Levent GöktaÅ~_. Ozkan had been given an aggravated
life sentence, while GöktaÅ~_ and Peker had been sentenced to 23
and 10 years in prison respectively.
According to the court, there is no risk that the suspects will
alter evidence related to the Ergenekon case or flee the country
before their sentences are upheld or reversed by the Supreme Court of
Appeals. Former Chief of Staff Ä°lker BaÅ~_bug, who was sentenced to
life imprisonment in the Ergenekon trial, was also released pending
trial last week after spending two years in detention, following a
ruling of the Constitutional Court. The court handling the Ergenekon
trial had announced the sentences on Aug. 5, 2013. However, the
fact that the court has not completed its detailed ruling prevents
the suspects from starting the process of appeal. Some commentators
regard the law paving the way for coup plot suspects to be released
as a sign that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan intends to make
peace with the top army brass.
According to Ergun Babahan, who writes a column for online news portal
T24, Erdogan gave a message of support to the deep state by procuring
these releases. "The only way out for Erdogan, who is embattled by
the corruption recordings, is to demolish the reliability of the
judiciary and the whole system. The release of murderers who were
caught holding their weapons simply aims to destroy the public's trust
in the judiciary," Babahan said. The columnist noted that Erdogan
was not satisfied even after managing to dominate the Supreme Board
of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) via a new law, because this power
only helps him to suppress his current enemies, while he also wants
to take future situations into account. According to Babahan, the
Turkish people have never had strong trust in the judicial system,
and the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government has not
taken any steps to liberate the courts from government control. Babahan
stated that the courts have successfully protected the suspects in the
Dink murder trial, the trial of Gezi Park protesters killed by police
and the case of 12-year-old Ugur Kaymaz and his father, who were shot
dead by a policeman outside their home in the southeastern province of
Mardin. Babahan stated that Erdogan is creating an image of an unjust
judiciary in the eyes of the public in case he is prosecuted over
graft allegations. However, if he can still be prosecuted and even
convicted, Babahan writes: "Then the only way out would be a general
amnesty. If Erdogan gains a threatening result for his government in
the local elections, he will probably grant a general amnesty."
In Vatan columnist Okay Gönensin's Tuesday article, titled "Amnesty
already issued," he claimed that the amnesty has practically been
granted, since the army top brass who had been charged with coup
plotting have been released. Gönensin reminded his readers that
the suspects in these trials had repeatedly stated they want to be
cleared of the allegations rather than accepting an amnesty.
http://www.todayszaman.com/columnist/gunay-hilal-aygun_341787_amnesty-on-the-way-or-already-granted.html
Today's Zaman, Turkey
March 11 2014
GUNAY HÄ°LAL AYGUN
In the wake of the adoption of a new law to decrease the maximum
detention period to five years, a Turkish court has ruled for the
release of a number of suspects in many controversial trials since
March 7, when the suspects' lawyers demanded their release.
The first in the series of releases was issued for Erhan Tuncel,
known as "big brother," who is a key suspect in the 2007 murder of
Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink. This was followed by the
release of five individuals caught red-handed torturing and killing
three Christian missionaries at a book store in the southeastern
province of Malatya. While the Turkish public was still outraged by
these shocking court decisions, there came yet another controversial
release. On Monday afternoon, the Ä°stanbul 21st High Criminal Court
ruled to release seven suspects in the Ergenekon coup-plot trial,
including journalist Tuncay Ozkan, gang leader Sedat Peker and
retired Col. Levent GöktaÅ~_. Ozkan had been given an aggravated
life sentence, while GöktaÅ~_ and Peker had been sentenced to 23
and 10 years in prison respectively.
According to the court, there is no risk that the suspects will
alter evidence related to the Ergenekon case or flee the country
before their sentences are upheld or reversed by the Supreme Court of
Appeals. Former Chief of Staff Ä°lker BaÅ~_bug, who was sentenced to
life imprisonment in the Ergenekon trial, was also released pending
trial last week after spending two years in detention, following a
ruling of the Constitutional Court. The court handling the Ergenekon
trial had announced the sentences on Aug. 5, 2013. However, the
fact that the court has not completed its detailed ruling prevents
the suspects from starting the process of appeal. Some commentators
regard the law paving the way for coup plot suspects to be released
as a sign that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan intends to make
peace with the top army brass.
According to Ergun Babahan, who writes a column for online news portal
T24, Erdogan gave a message of support to the deep state by procuring
these releases. "The only way out for Erdogan, who is embattled by
the corruption recordings, is to demolish the reliability of the
judiciary and the whole system. The release of murderers who were
caught holding their weapons simply aims to destroy the public's trust
in the judiciary," Babahan said. The columnist noted that Erdogan
was not satisfied even after managing to dominate the Supreme Board
of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) via a new law, because this power
only helps him to suppress his current enemies, while he also wants
to take future situations into account. According to Babahan, the
Turkish people have never had strong trust in the judicial system,
and the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government has not
taken any steps to liberate the courts from government control. Babahan
stated that the courts have successfully protected the suspects in the
Dink murder trial, the trial of Gezi Park protesters killed by police
and the case of 12-year-old Ugur Kaymaz and his father, who were shot
dead by a policeman outside their home in the southeastern province of
Mardin. Babahan stated that Erdogan is creating an image of an unjust
judiciary in the eyes of the public in case he is prosecuted over
graft allegations. However, if he can still be prosecuted and even
convicted, Babahan writes: "Then the only way out would be a general
amnesty. If Erdogan gains a threatening result for his government in
the local elections, he will probably grant a general amnesty."
In Vatan columnist Okay Gönensin's Tuesday article, titled "Amnesty
already issued," he claimed that the amnesty has practically been
granted, since the army top brass who had been charged with coup
plotting have been released. Gönensin reminded his readers that
the suspects in these trials had repeatedly stated they want to be
cleared of the allegations rather than accepting an amnesty.
http://www.todayszaman.com/columnist/gunay-hilal-aygun_341787_amnesty-on-the-way-or-already-granted.html