* Illustration: Anton Brand
Turkey’s High Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) launched investigations on prosecutor Mustafa Şahin and Ankara 6th High Criminal Court panel judge Cevdet Bak who were photographed sleeping during the third hearing of Ethem Sarısülük case.
“During the hearing, the prosecutor was taking naps. Sometimes he was leaning on his desk, sometimes to his chair,” journalist Serhat Korkmaz wrote bianet.
Previously, the pictures of prosecutor’s napping moments broke in social media and news outlets which stirred debate.
Acting upon the release of photos, HSYK launched an investigation, saying that their impartiality was damaged.
The investigation is likely to turn into a prosecution if HSYK 3rd chamber detected any elements of fault in the photographs.
Not the first napping judge
Previously, similar complaints have been raised to HSYK against the judges of “Operation Back to Life” case. One of these complaints was that penal judge Mehmet Ali Önen’s falling a sleep and snoring as attorneys were speaking during the hearing. (AS/BM)
