The armed forces lodged a complaint with the Ankara chief prosecutor's office on December 27 about the evidence given in two separate cases, the private NTV television reported.
The move comes amid a growing political crisis sparked by a corruption probe that the government claims is a plot being waged against it by an organisation with close links to the police and judiciary.
In 2013, former army chief General Ilker Basbug was jailed for life and scores of army officers, journalists and lawyers were imprisoned for their role in the so-called "Ergenekon" conspiracy, an alleged plot to overthrow the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In 2012, more than 300 active and retired military officers were sentenced to prison terms of up to 20 years in a trial that ruled that an army exercise in 2003, codenamed "Sledgehammer", was an undercover coup plot against Erdogan's Islamic-leaning Justice and Development Party (AKP).
The military, which sees itself as the guarantor of Turkey's secular principles, has carried out three coups -- in 1960, 1971 and 1980 -- and forced out an Islamist government in 1997.
But since coming to power in 2002, Erdogan's government has reined in the once-powerful military with a number of court cases.
In its official complaint, the army said the evidence used in the trials against it had been fabricated and manipulated.
Police, prosecutors and judges handling the two cases ignored charges by defence lawyers that the evidence was fake, according to press reports.
However, the saga over the military trials has taken a new twist in the escalating feud between Erdogan's government and the movement headed by US-exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen.
Erdogan's top political advisor Yalcin Akdogan suggested last month that those who took action against the army were also those orchestrating the high-level corruption investigation against key government allies.
"Those who plotted against their country's national army, intelligence, bank and the civilian government which won the heart of the nation know very well that they are not working for the good of this country," Akdogan said in a column in the pro-government Star newspaper.
He was apparently referring to Gulen's followers, who hold key positions within the police and the judiciary.
Some media reports said the army had pushed its demand for retrial at a National Security Council meeting on December 27 which brought together the country's military and political leaders.
Erdogan's government has accused the Gulen movement of acting as a "state within state" by instigating the corruption probe.
Gulen, who left Turkey for the United States in 1999 after being accused of plotting to form an Islamic, has denied being involved in the investigation.
The Turkish military said last week it would not interfere in the current political turmoil, which has sent the national currency and stocks tumbling.
- AFP/ac
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/turkish-army-demands/941464.html
2/1/14
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Turkish army files complaint to court over coup cases ...
ReplyDeleteTurkey's General of Staff has told the Public Prosecutor's Office in the capital Ankara to restart the Ergenekon and Sledgehammer cases against members of the Turkish Armed Forces.
Ergenekon, often referred to as the hidden 'deep state' of Turkey, became the target of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government shortly after he came to power. The case saw the arrest, trial and sentencing of a number of current and former members of the Turkish armed forces, officials and journalists.
Likewise, the Sledgehammer case refers to an attempt to remove Erdogan via military coup, and also saw the sentencing of a number of high profile individuals.
http://www.worldbulletin.net/?aType=haber&ArticleID=126137
2/1/14
No amnesty for coup cases should be expected: Deputy PM Arınç....
ReplyDeleteNo amnesty should be expected on coup cases despite a criminal complaint filed by Turkey’s General Staff for the investigation of an alleged "plot" in trials such as Ergenekon and Balyoz (Sledgehammer), Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç said Jan. 3.
“No one should be in the expectation of a general amnesty,” Arınç said during a meeting with Parliament reporters in Ankara, responding to questions on the government’s position about the military’s move to start legal action on trials that led to the conviction of numerous high-ranking members of the Turkish Armed Forces.
“Amnesty is a very dangerous word. If a member of the government or the Parliament speaks about it a great expectation may arise. Think about those people who are jailed, they will go to bed, then wake up thinking about the amnesty. As the government, we don’t have such thinking,” he said.
Arınç said that he did not have much knowledge about the content of the complaint filed by the General Staff. “If they believe that the judiciary should be careful on certain issues … this should be adequately assessed. There are things that the judiciary in a state of law such Turkey can do over these sort of demands,” Arınç said.
In its official complaint, the General Staff argued that evidence had been fabricated and manipulated in the coup plot cases, reports said.
The move by the General Staff comes just days after the prime minister’s top political adviser spoke of a “plot” targeting the army, leading to opposition calls for exposure of the “conspiracy.”
'People are concerned about mistakes’
Arınç also expressed criticism of Akdoğan during his meeting with Ankara reporters, stressing that the prime minister’s aide must explain what he meant with his opinion piece.
“Plot is his own word, so it’s him that we have to ask [what it means]. Why did you write such a column? Someone cannot stay top adviser while being a lawmaker at the same time. He still has that title [of top adviser]. If you are someone whose words, writings are carefully followed, explain,” Arınç said, adding that Akdoğan’s piece raised concerns on possible judiciary “mistakes.”
“[Akdoğan] speaks about some circles who abuse their power inside the state. Can these circles fabricate evidence? There is a concern that mistakes could have been made. Who can say that this concern is wrong?” Arınç asked.
He also said retrials may occur and an application could be filed for trials that had been completed.....................http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/no-amnesty-for-coup-cases-should-be-expected-deputy-pm-arinc.aspx?pageID=238&nID=60514&NewsCatID=338
3/1/14
Turkish military prosecutors launch probe upon expert report on altered Balyoz evidence...
ReplyDeleteMilitary prosecutors opened an investigation on Feb. 5 upon an expert report which revealed that key evidence in the Balyoz (Sledgehammer) trial had been altered.
The investigation carried out by prosecutors from the naval forces was launched following a formal instruction from the Chief of General Staff Gen. Necdet Özel, daily Hürriyet reported.
Experts from Turkey’s science watchdog TÜBİTAK released a report on Jan. 25 in which it said that the date and time of key files on a hard drive found during searches conducted in December 2010 at the Gölcük Navy Command were altered.
The files in the hard drive, known as “hard drive number five,” were one of the foundations of the coup-plot charges in the Balyoz trial indictments.
Military prosecutors are reportedly set to examine in detail who had access to the room where the hard disk was found.
Twelve Balyoz convicts have demanded a retrial following the release of the TÜBİTAK report...............http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-military-prosecutors-launch-probe-upon-expert-report-on-altered-balyoz-evidence.aspx?pageID=238&nID=62051&NewsCatID=338
5/2/14
Balyoz davasında yeni gelişme....Adalet Bakanlığı'na başvurdular....
DeleteBalyoz Davası'nda 16 yıl hapis cezasına çarptırılan emekli Tümgeneral Recep Rıfkı Durusoy'un da bulunduğu 11 sanığın avukatı yeni kurulan heyetin de yeniden yargılama talebini reddetmesinin ardından Adalet Bakanlığı'na başvurarak "Yazılı emirle kanun yararına bozma" talebinde bulundu.
Avukat Hakan Tunçkol'un Adalet Bakanlığı'na gönderilmek üzere Çağlayan'daki İstanbul Adalet Sarayı'ndaki Bakanlık Bürosu'na sunduğu dilekçede, yerel mahkemenin kararının hukuka aykırı olduğu belirtilerek, "Son TÜBİTAK raporu ile hükme tesir eden ve hükme dayanak yapılan bir delil 5 nolu hard disk şüpheli hale gelmiştir. Ceza muhakemesinin en temel ilkesi 'şüpheden sanık yararlanır'dır. Müvekkillerim kim ve kimlerin ne maksatla hazırladığı belli olmayan dijital listelerde sadece adı geçtiği için ağır bir ceza tatbikine tutulmuştur.............http://www.haberturk.com/gundem/haber/918791-balyoz-davasinda-yeni-gelisme
5/2/14
Turkish court orders release of ex-army chief....
ReplyDeleteIlker Basbug, who is serving life sentence for an attempted coup, to be freed by court order citing violation of rights.
A Turkish court ordered the immediate release of ex-military chief Ilker Basbug who was sentenced to life imprisonment last year for plotting to overthrow the government, his lawyer has said.
The decision on Friday came a day after Turkey's top Constitutional Court ruled that Basbug's legal rights had been violated.
Ilkay Sezer, Basbug's lawyer, said that the verdict was significant. He added that Basbug "will walk free three hours later".
Basbug was sentenced to life in prison in 2013 along with hundreds of military officers who were given long terms for their role in the so-called "Ergenekon" conspiracy, an alleged plot to overthrow the government......................http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2014/03/turkish-court-orders-release-ex-army-chief-20143716348733508.html
6/3/14