Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli addressed the ongoing crisis in the higher judiciary during his party's group meeting, taking aim at the Constitutional Court.
Bahçeli urged the revocation of Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP) Hatay Deputy Can Atalay's parliamentary membership, saying that “the judiciary is not subservient to the Constitutional Court.”
Turkey faces judicial crisis as high courts clash over jailed MP
Commending the Chamber of the Court of Cassation for not implementing the violation decision regarding Can Atalay, Bahçeli said, "The 3rd Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation has carried out its duty flawlessly."
In his speech, Bahçeli also directed criticism and derogatory remarks towards Constitutional Court President Zühtü Arslan, declaring, "I would like to remind the poisoned mind of the Constitutional Court President that the separation of powers in Turkey is clear. The Constitutional Court President is the diseased branch of the opposition alliance entrenched in the high judiciary."
Key points from Bahçeli's speech:
- The violation decisions of the Constitutional Court, which go against public conscience and legal norms, provide grounds for the retrial of other court decisions. Additionally, the Constitutional Court openly declares its intention to rule violations until laws are enacted by the Grand National Assembly (TBMM).
- The authority of the Constitutional Court does not include inspecting legal regulations, and the TBMM is not under its guardianship. It cannot wield power over the people. Criticizing the group in the TBMM insulting the Court of Cassation as insolent, and those calling for street actions as unprincipled, Bahçeli emphasized that the Turkish nation knows how to respond.
- Wherever there is a criminal, wherever there is a traitor spewing hatred against Turkey, the Constitutional Court rewards them with a violation decision. The Constitutional Court is acting as a center of oppression against the people and opening the way for funds to flow to the PKK.
- It is the Constitutional Court that ruled a violation of rights regarding terrorist Demirtaş, Leyla Güven, Figen Yüksekdağ. It is the Constitutional Court that pats the backs of the traitors crushed in the mountains and plains. If this court continues like this, it will embrace Fetullah Gülen and Murat Karayılan with a violation of rights. According to Bahçeli, the 3rd Chamber of the Court of Cassation has fulfilled its duty flawlessly, and the center of the problem lies in the stained decisions of the Constitutional Court.
- To the Constitutional Court President with a poisoned mind, Bahçeli reminded him that the separation of powers in Turkey has been clarified. The Constitutional Court President is the diseased branch of the opposition alliance entrenched in the high judiciary, and Bahçeli believes this person has clearly exceeded his limits.
- Advising against meddling with the Turkish state, Bahçeli challenged those with courage to go to Kandil. He accused the Constitutional Court president of losing objectivity and taking a stance against national unity and brotherhood. Bahçeli presented two options: either the Constitutional Court should be closed, or it should be restructured.
Background
The crisis was sparked by the Constitutional Court’s decision to release Can Atalay, a jailed lawmaker from the leftist Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP), on the grounds that his rights were violated.
The local court and the Court of Cassation, the country’s top appellate court, refused to implement the decision and the latter filed a criminal complaint against the judges of the Constitutional Court, accusing them of exceeding their authority and undermining the rule of law.
The crisis has escalated into a political and constitutional dispute, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticizing the Constitutional Court. The president later described himself as an “arbiter” between the two courts and said he wouldn’t side with any of them. (RT/VK)
