Chief Prosecutor Cihaner Released

The 11th Chamber of the Court of Appeals decided to merge the cases against Erzincan Public Chief Prosecutor Cihaner at the Erzurum 2nd High Criminal Court and at the Court of Appeals respectively. The prosecutor of the Court of Appeals demanded the release of all detained defendants of both cases. The court accepted the request.

Burçin Belge

The trial against Public Chief Prosecutor İlhan Cihaner of Erzincan (north-eastern Turkey) at the Court of Appeals was continued on 17 June. The hearing was held in the conference room of the Court of Appeals because of the large audience.

The President of the 11^th Chamber of the Court of Appeals, Ersan Ülker, declared that CDs regarding both case files against Cihaner had been studied, i.e. the case concerned with the "Action Plan against Reactionary Forces" tried at the Istanbul 13^th High Criminal Court and the case at the Erzurum 2^nd High Criminal Court.

The Action Plan against Reactionary Forces is a controversial document showing alleged plans to discredit the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the religious movement led by Fethullah Gülen.

Predicated on the chamber's findings that both cases have "personal and de facto links", Ülker announced the decision that the file of the case in Erzurum and the case tried at the Court of Appeals were being merged.

Cihaner is one of 14 defendants who stand accused of suppressing congregations by creating false evidence and supposedly establishing the "Ergenekon terror organization". The clandestine ultra-national Ergenekon organisation, allegedly nested within the state and the military, is said to have planned to overthrow the government and to create chaos in the country with murders and attacks. Cihaner is tried under charges of "membership of the Ergenekon terror organization".

In the other case at the Court of Appeals, he is facing charges of "misconduct in office", forgery of documents" and "causing construction pollution".

Subsequent to the decision of merging both cases, the Public Prosecutor demanded to release all detained defendants of the two cases. The court followed the demand. 14 defendants, among them Cihaner, were immediately released pending trial.

The release of Chief Prosecutor Cihaner from detention had been requested five times prior to the recent decision. However, the court had dismissed the requests. (BB/VK)