Top judge lashes out at gov’t, press
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Nisan 25, 2009 00:00
ANKARA - Head of the Constitutional Court Haşim Kılıç Friday criticized the media and political intervention in the judiciary process, in a clear reference to the ongoing Ergenekon case.
"In each important case, the judiciary is besieged by political views. Judges of the media and the world of politics decide the case even before the judges of the court," Kılıç said, speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the Constitutional Court’s new building. The court celebrated the 47th anniversary of its establishment Friday.
"People’s honors are harmed when they are announced guilty without the court’s decision. This is a crime against humanity," Kılıç said. Referring to Article 138 of the Constitution, Kılıç said no one and no institution has a right to instruct or advise the judges about the use of judicial power. "However, efforts to affect and manipulate the judiciary still continue," he said. Underlining the importance of judicial independence, Kılıç said a strong and neutral judiciary is the assurance for democracy, secularism and a social state. "Since the task of protecting the rights and freedoms, namely human dignity, is assigned to the judiciary, this can only be maintained through the impartiality of a judge," Kılıç said. Kılıç also touched upon secularism during his address. "Unless problems related to freedom of faith are solved, it seems inevitable that politics will derive benefit from religion," Kılıç said.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also delivered a speech at the ceremony. "Our improvements in basic areas like social progress, democratization and human rights have inevitably caused a need for constitutional amendments. This is the situation that Turkey experiences today," Erdoğan said. He said any evaluation over amendments to the charter should be discussed in a free and constructive atmosphere.
"People’s honors are harmed when they are announced guilty without the court’s decision. This is a crime against humanity," Kılıç said. Referring to Article 138 of the Constitution, Kılıç said no one and no institution has a right to instruct or advise the judges about the use of judicial power. "However, efforts to affect and manipulate the judiciary still continue," he said. Underlining the importance of judicial independence, Kılıç said a strong and neutral judiciary is the assurance for democracy, secularism and a social state. "Since the task of protecting the rights and freedoms, namely human dignity, is assigned to the judiciary, this can only be maintained through the impartiality of a judge," Kılıç said. Kılıç also touched upon secularism during his address. "Unless problems related to freedom of faith are solved, it seems inevitable that politics will derive benefit from religion," Kılıç said.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also delivered a speech at the ceremony. "Our improvements in basic areas like social progress, democratization and human rights have inevitably caused a need for constitutional amendments. This is the situation that Turkey experiences today," Erdoğan said. He said any evaluation over amendments to the charter should be discussed in a free and constructive atmosphere.