Turkey drops Gaza probe
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Anatolia News Agency
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mayıs 01, 2009 00:00
ANKARA - Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has started a probe into whether Israel committed genocide and crimes against humanity during its offensive in Gaza. The office announced that there were no grounds for prosecution after the Justice Ministry refused it permission to bring charges, an agency reporter said.
Turkish law allows for the trial of people accused of genocide or crimes against humanity even if the crimes were committed abroad, but says prosecutors need the ministry's permission. The investigation was launched in February upon a complaint by the Islamic-leaning human rights association Mazlum-Der accusing Israel of carrying out "direct attacks on civilians with the aim of annihilating them." Mazlum-Der had asked that several Israeli officials, including President Shimon Peres and several ministers, be tried.