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: JURIST - The Paper Chase

Turkish court allows assassination case to be merged with coup plot prosecution

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

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[JURIST] Turkey's Eleventh Criminal Court in Ankara on Monday granted permission for a case involving the 2006 killing of a senior judge by lawyer Alparslan Aslan to be merged with a larger case against alleged Ergenekon coup leaders. Ergenekon is accused of planning to destabilize the country's Justice and Development Party (AKP) led government in an effort to incite a military coup. The court found that the judge's killing could have been part of the group's efforts , which also included the creation of a supposed "hit list" of prominent Turkish figures, bombings at the daily newspaper Cumhuriyet, and the assassination of the journalist Hrant Dink. In order for the cases to be merged, the Thirteenth Criminal Court, which is hearing the Ergenekon case, must also approve the move. The Supreme Court had previously permitted the two cases to be joined, and if they are, they will be tried in Istanbul. The court's decision comes after the arrest of eight professors and former university officials allegedly connected to Ergenekon on Friday. In March, 56 people were arrested in connection with the group, including two former generals. Earlier that month, a Turkish court ordered the arrest of Cumhuriyet journalist Mustafa Balbay and internet publisher Neriman Aydin for their alleged involvement the coup plot. There are currently more than 100 suspects in custody, with 40 arrested January 7, another 12 arrested January 12, and 30 arrested January 19. The suspects include journalists, academics, army officers, policemen, and Turkish Workers' Party leader Dogu Perincek. In October the High Criminal Court in Istanbul began the trial of 86 defendants allegedly involved in the coup plot.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on April 21, 2009 (boomark / email).