"Ergenekon Coup" Indictment Submitted to The Court

The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor submits the Ergenekon indictment, having a press release afterwards. Surprisingly, the indictment does not include the “Coup Diaries” of retired Admiral Ornek. Prosecutor criticizes the media for causing misinformation.

İstanbul

"Ergenekon Coup" Indictment Submitted to The Court

Ergenekon indictment was submitted to Istanbul’s 13^th High Criminal Court today.

Istanbul’s Chief Public Prosecutor Aykut Cengiz Engin told in the press release given at Istanbul Courthouse at Beşiktaş that the allegations based on the Coup Diaries, which were published in weekly “Nokta” last year, were not included in the indictment.

The investigation took time because of the hundreds of thousands of pages and so many suspects, said the chief prosecutor.

Chief Prosecutor Engin explained that the reason for the press release was the existence of so many speculations about the investigation. After he explained the technical reasons why the preparation of the investigation took more than a year, he said:

“The interpretations that appeared in the media about the investigation led to many speculations. This press release was arranged to end them. Legally it is not possible to offer a detailed explanation about the indictment and the case at this moment. This will be possible only when the court that will try the case allows for such an explanation. We ask you to wait a little longer.”

The reports and interpretations have led to misinformation

“Since this investigation started many documents, some of them secret, and much information have appeared in the media; many reports and interpretations have been published. It is media’s duty to inform the public. However, major part of these publications was not true. They have caused great deal of misinformation; the public have been misinformed. Misinterpretations based on these publications lead to wrong expectations, violate the private lives and fundamental rights of the suspects and cause severe and unfair criticism regarding the justice system.”

To be a member of a terrorist organization, to help such an organization, to eliminate the Turkish Republic

“Excluding the latest operation on July 1, 2008, there are 86 suspects, 48 of them under arrest, in this case. They are accused of being a member of an armed terrorist organization, helping such an organization, eliminating the Turkish Republic through force and violence, attempting to prevent its functioning, provoking people to an armed uprising, instigating others to commit these crimes, instigating others to bomb the State Council and the “Cumhuriyet” newspaper, securing secret documents about the security of the state, encouraging military personnel to disobey orders and crimes of similar nature.

The Coup Diaries are not in the indictment

“This terrorist organization is not the usual kind of separatist and ideological terrorist organization. The definition of terror can be found in the law 3713 titled Fight Against Terror. In addition to the separatist and ideological terror, this article defines all kinds of acts by an individual or individuals who are members of an organization to weaken or eliminate the authority of the state and to disarray the internal and external security as crimes of terror.”

“The Coup Diaries which were published in weekly “Nokta” published last year is not included in the indictment. The Office of the Public Prosecutor did not investigate this matter.”

The name Ergenekon is what the organization chose to call itself

“The prosecutors did not name the organization. The name Ergenekon, which appears in the indictment and used by the public, is what the organization chose to call itself.” (NZ/TB)