Prosecutor: Ergenekon Not Related to Other Trials

Presumably in an attempt to quell rumours that the most recent arrests in the Ergenekon case are an act of vindication for the attempts to close the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Aykut Cengiz Engin has released a written statement of clarification.

"Not related to other trials"

He wrote that the so-called “Ergenekon investigation”, which began with the discovery of a weapons arsenal in Ümraniye, Istanbul, in June 2007 and continued with detentions and arrests on 21 March 2008 had been interpreted by many media institutions in a way “which does not reflect the reality.”

The prosecutor emphasised that the operation and procedures of the investigation had nothing to do with other trials currently on the agenda. He added that the analysis of hundreds of thousands of pages of evidence, information and documents would take a long time, but that an end to the process was in sight.

The statement took into account the decision for secrecy and broadcasting and publishing bans on the case. The investigation is being run by three public prosecutors and the following information was given:

• The detentions on 21 March 2008 were a continuation of previous arrests and based on evidence emerging from the investigation.
• The confiscations and detentions were carried out at night on the order of the responsible public prosecutors based on the request of the unit carrying out the investigation. It was vital to carry out the raids at the same time.
• It was ensured that the legal rights of those taken into police custody were respected and that the legal procedures were carried out as fast as possible.

Chief Public Prosecutor Engin stated that Workers’ Party (IP) leader Dogu Perincek, and the three other men under arrest, Mehmet Adnan Akfirat, Ferit Ilsever and Serhan Bolluk, were arrested under Article 100 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).

Journalist Ilhan Selcuk and former university rector Kemal Yalcin Alemdaroglu were released under Article 109/1-3/a of the CPC, which specifies that their release be under court control. Six other detainees were released after giving statements.

The statement further emphasised that it was “impossible” that the independent judiciary institutions be influenced by “any person or institution”. (NZ/AG)