Probe's neutrality defended by minister
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Nisan 16, 2009 00:00
ANKARA - The judiciary did not stage a coup but will judge those who attempt to disrupt the government, says Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Şahin, referring to criticism that Ergenekon was a coup staged by the AKP.
Turkey’s justice minister has said the judiciary did not stage a coup but that it was the body that judged anybody that attempted to do so. He also said the ministry had no authority to instruct judicial bodies.
"Turkey is governed by the rule of law. What is essential is the separation of powers," said Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Şahin. "The Ergenekon probe is being carried out by an independent and neutral judiciary. The ministry shouldn’t be associated with the case. The judiciary doesn’t stage a coup but judges those who attempt any coup."
The detention of secular figures, including Başkent University Rector Mehmet Haberal and Türkan Saylan, the chairwoman of the Association for Supporting Contemporary Living, or ÇYDD, the organizer of republican meetings and a nongovernmental organization that distributes educational scholarships, has been met with fierce criticism from different segments of society, including opposition parties.
Republican People’s Party, or CHP, leader, Deniz Baykal, said the Ergenekon probe was a political coup staged by the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP.
Şahin, said it was the judiciary’s duty to launch and carry out the probe, not the ministry’s, responding to insistent questions yesterday from members of the press on the recent developments concerning the latest wave of Ergenekon detentions.
"If you make an assessment by associating the ministry with the probe then you imply that the justice minister should intervene in the judiciary, which is an unfortunate situation for you [the press]," Şahin said. "The judiciary is independent and neutral."
Student forces minister
In response to a question about what would happen to the thousands of children who would not receive scholarships because of the seizure of the ÇYDD’s scholarship list and documents, Şahin said: "Don’t ask me such specific questions. I don’t know about this issue. The association, I assume, continues its activities."
Meanwhile, Şahin engaged in an interesting conversation with a 20-year-old student who said he was dissatisfied with the detention of members of the military and academics.
"Shouldn’t we trust academics and the military?" asked the student. Şahin responded: "No one is guilty unless their guilt is proven. The judges are acting in line with the evidence. The military is vital for us."
Responding to his second question on why a publication ban was used after news broke on the Deniz Feneri scandal and not for the Ergenekon case, Şahin said: "These bans are requested by the prosecutors. Nobody can ask me to implement such bans."
The student said he was not satisfied with the minister’s answers.
Meanwhile, Ergenekon prosecutor Zekeriya Öz called Recai Birgün, a former bodyguard of Bülent Ecevit, the former leader of the Democratic Left Party, or DSP, to provide information on certain issues.
Birgün also a deputy of the DSP said he was ready to help him. The appointment, which was scheduled for this week, was delayed to next week because of Öz’s schedule.
Ecevit underwent treatment at Başkent University, the founder of which is Ergenekon suspect Haberal, in 2002 when Ecevit was prime minister. There were some allegations raised by DSP members that Başkent University issued a fake medical report for Ecevit in order to prevent him from serving as prime minister. Birgün said he would share any information with Öz about the developments in 2002, if asked.
Meanwhile, executive board member of Doğan Media Group, Marketing, Sales and Business Development President Tijen Mergen, who was detained as part of the Ergenekon investigation, was released late yesterday after a court hearing.
"Turkey is governed by the rule of law. What is essential is the separation of powers," said Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Şahin. "The Ergenekon probe is being carried out by an independent and neutral judiciary. The ministry shouldn’t be associated with the case. The judiciary doesn’t stage a coup but judges those who attempt any coup."
The detention of secular figures, including Başkent University Rector Mehmet Haberal and Türkan Saylan, the chairwoman of the Association for Supporting Contemporary Living, or ÇYDD, the organizer of republican meetings and a nongovernmental organization that distributes educational scholarships, has been met with fierce criticism from different segments of society, including opposition parties.
Republican People’s Party, or CHP, leader, Deniz Baykal, said the Ergenekon probe was a political coup staged by the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP.
Şahin, said it was the judiciary’s duty to launch and carry out the probe, not the ministry’s, responding to insistent questions yesterday from members of the press on the recent developments concerning the latest wave of Ergenekon detentions.
"If you make an assessment by associating the ministry with the probe then you imply that the justice minister should intervene in the judiciary, which is an unfortunate situation for you [the press]," Şahin said. "The judiciary is independent and neutral."
Student forces minister
In response to a question about what would happen to the thousands of children who would not receive scholarships because of the seizure of the ÇYDD’s scholarship list and documents, Şahin said: "Don’t ask me such specific questions. I don’t know about this issue. The association, I assume, continues its activities."
Meanwhile, Şahin engaged in an interesting conversation with a 20-year-old student who said he was dissatisfied with the detention of members of the military and academics.
"Shouldn’t we trust academics and the military?" asked the student. Şahin responded: "No one is guilty unless their guilt is proven. The judges are acting in line with the evidence. The military is vital for us."
Responding to his second question on why a publication ban was used after news broke on the Deniz Feneri scandal and not for the Ergenekon case, Şahin said: "These bans are requested by the prosecutors. Nobody can ask me to implement such bans."
The student said he was not satisfied with the minister’s answers.
Meanwhile, Ergenekon prosecutor Zekeriya Öz called Recai Birgün, a former bodyguard of Bülent Ecevit, the former leader of the Democratic Left Party, or DSP, to provide information on certain issues.
Birgün also a deputy of the DSP said he was ready to help him. The appointment, which was scheduled for this week, was delayed to next week because of Öz’s schedule.
Ecevit underwent treatment at Başkent University, the founder of which is Ergenekon suspect Haberal, in 2002 when Ecevit was prime minister. There were some allegations raised by DSP members that Başkent University issued a fake medical report for Ecevit in order to prevent him from serving as prime minister. Birgün said he would share any information with Öz about the developments in 2002, if asked.
Meanwhile, executive board member of Doğan Media Group, Marketing, Sales and Business Development President Tijen Mergen, who was detained as part of the Ergenekon investigation, was released late yesterday after a court hearing.