Former Chief of General Staff in the Dock

The hearing of former Chief of General Staff İlker Başbuğ in the scope of the Internet Memorandum trials was held on Monday (26 March). The internet memorandum case was previously merged with the trial regarding the Action Plan against Reactionary Forces.

Başbuğ's lawyer İlkay Sezer requested the court at the beginning of the hearing decide for a lack of jurisdiction and competence and have his client transferred to the Supreme Court.

Lawyer Sezer pointed out that the memorandum as subject of the trial was prepared at the General Staff Presidency in Ankara and hence the referring courts were the courts in Ankara. Accordingly, he demanded a decision for lack of jurisdiction. However, the court evaluated the request and rejected it.

The court explained that the involved courts were competent according to the law on terror crimes. The court decided against the request to send the file to the Constitutional Court in order to have it transferred to the Supreme Court.

The court furthermore relied on the actual and legal connections between the files and dismissed the request for "lack of competence".

Special Authority Prosecutor Cihan Kansız prepared the 39-page indictment about Başbuğ. The document was read out by prosecutors Murat Dalkuş and Mehmet Ali Pekgüzel.

The hearing was attended by 15 detained defendants including İlker Başbuğ, ret. General Hasan Iğsız, Vice Admirals Mehmet Otuzbiroğlu and İsmail Hakkı Pekin, Major General Hıfzı Çubuklu and ret. Colonel Dursun Çiçek.

The Internet Memorandum trial involves a total of 30 defendants, 16 of whom are detained. (YY)