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Main opposition party submits motion on retrial issue

09 January 2014 18:45 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) submitted a motion to Parliament on Thursday consisting of eight points concerning the retrial of individuals convicted of plotting a coup, APA reports quoting Todays Zaman.

According to the motion, submitted by CHP parliamentary group deputy chairmen Akif Hamzaçebi, Engin Altay and Muharrem Ä°nce, specific and regional heavy criminal courts will be closed down and hearings will instead be held at the heavy criminal courts where the offense was committed.

The opposition party says in the preamble of the motion that the trial has become an point of political contention, adding that the people who have so far supported the rulings of specific courts without any limits are now saying that there is a parallel state within the state and that a mob exists within the state. If those people have come to this point, then it needs to be thoroughly examined.

In the meantime, Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek criticized the positions so far voiced concerning the retrial issue, which has become one of the most debated issues these days.

“Some are trying to score political points over the issue,” Çiçek said in a meeting held with Turkish Bar Association (TBB) President Metin FeyzioÄŸlu on Thursday, adding that he finds the whole process of retying coup convicts risky and unacceptable.

Commenting on the retrial issue, Çiçek said no one is behaving in accordance with the presumption of innocence, adding: “First and foremost, everyone should obey the law irrespective of whether it is right or wrong, until the time comes when the law is changed. If the law is wrong, then let's remove all of them, and carry out all inquiries overtly.”

Çiçek said 90 people were detained and 24 jailed in the latest inquiries. “The secrecy of the inquiries is important, although even judicial authorities do not comply with this. And because of this noncompliance, the trial has turned into a dispute,” Çiçek said.

Çiçek especially underlined that no one takes the Constitution into consideration during TV discussions. “We discuss politics so long as it serves our interests and point of view, and dismiss the law and legislation. And then we say that Turkey is a state of law. What kind of a state of law is this? How can you throw yourself at the mercy of the law that you do not comply with? How, then, are we going to run this country? A state of law emerges if you comply with the law and if the law is put into effect. Otherwise, just calling it a state of law does not make it one,” he said.