Judges Ordering Release of 21 Journalists Suspended from Duty

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İstanbul 25th Heavy Penal Court judges who ordered release in the trial of 21 journalists concerning “Fethullahist Terror Organization” have been relieved of duty.

The Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HYSK) Deputy Chair Mehmet Yılmaz in his statement said they have launched an investigation in line with the report prepared by the HSYK Inspection Board to inquire into all allegation against these people, Fevzi Çakır from Habertürk reported.

The suspended judges are Chief Judge İbrahim Lorasdağı, and judges Barış Cömert and Necla Yeşilyurt Gülbiçim.

In response to a question of what those allegations are, Yılmaz said, “The allegations in question are well known. These releases are intentional, contrary to law and doesn’t comply with the facts”.

Minister Bozdağ: It is not a discharge

Minister of Justice Bekir Bozdağ commented on the matter:

“Suspension doesn’t mean discharge”.

What happened?

İbrahim Loğasdağı, the President of the court passing the verdict in the trial held before İstanbul 25th High Criminal Court of Justice, had ruled that Abdullah Kılıç, Ahmet Memiş, Ali Akkuş, Atilla Taş, Bayram Kaya, Bünyemin Köseli, Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, Cihan Acar, Cuma Ulus, Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Habip Güler, Halil İbrahim Balta, Hanım Büşra Erdal, Hüseyin Aydın, Muhammet Sait Kuloğlu, Murat Aksoy, Mustafa Erkan Acar, Oğuz Usluer, Seyid Kılıç, Yakup Çetin and Yetkin Yıldız be released.

In addition, the prosecutor had objected to the decision of İstanbul 25th High Criminal Court of Justice ordering the release of had Hanım Büşra Erdal, Ahmet Memiş, Bayram Kaya, Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, Cuma Ulus, Habib Güler, Halil İbrahim Balta and Muhammet Said Kuloğlu in the trial regarding the "Media organization of FETÖ". İstanbul 26th High Criminal Court had sustained the objection.

“Coup” investigation was launched into the other released suspects Atilla Taş, Ali Akkuş, Hüseyin Aydın, Murat Aksoy, Mustafa Erkan Acar, Seyid Kılıç and Yetkin Yıldız, and detention warrants were issued for them.

So, the 21 figures who were released upon the appeals filed within the scope of the new investigation were not released due to the objections raised on the same day. (EKN/TK)