Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. Earth Science News .




DEMOCRACY
Turkey PM says 'favours' retrial of coup plot officers
by Staff Writers
Ankara (AFP) Jan 05, 2014


Turkey's embattled Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday he would favour retrials for hundreds of military officers jailed for coup-plotting.

In the latest sign of the turmoil that has gripped Turkish politics since the government was hit a huge corruption scandal last month, Erdogan appeared ready to reach out to the generals he once hounded.

"Our position on a retrial is a favourable one," he told reporters in Istanbul before taking off on a tour of Asia.

"First we must establish the legal grounding for fresh trials," he said, offering no further details but adding he hoped to obtain parliament's support for the process.

Erdogan's statement comes after a weekend meeting with Metin Feyzioglu, head of of the Union of Bar Associations, who submitted proposals in favour of the jailed officers.

The new development comes after the military command requested a review of the mass trials that sent hundreds of officers behind bars in 2012 and 2013, arguing that some of the evidence against them was fabricated.

Erdogan's move comes as he and his ruling AKP party are embroiled in a bitter feud with the movement of Fethullah Gulen, a self-exiled Muslim cleric who wields tremendous influence across all levels of power.

A huge corruption scandal which has implicated Erdogan's entourage and dragged down some of his ministers erupted last month, with elections looming in March.

Observers say Gulen's movement appears to have orchestrated the graft probe.

Erdogan, battling one of the most serious challenges to his 11-year rule, reacted by purging the police -- which he once backed as a counter-power to the military -- for assisting in the investigation against his allies.

The scandal has dented Turkey's image as a model of Muslim democracy and stability among other emerging nations, while pushing the national currency to record lows against the US dollar and undermining investor confidence.

Erdogan claims the corruption investigation is a plot by internal and foreign enemies to "assassinate the national will" and topple his government.

In 2013, former army chief General Ilker Basbug was jailed for life and scores of army officers, journalists and lawyers were imprisoned for their role in the so-called "Ergenekon" conspiracy, an alleged plot to overthrow Erdogan's government.

In 2012, more than 300 active and retired military officers were sentenced to prison terms of up to 20 years in a trial that ruled that an army exercise in 2003, codenamed "Sledgehammer", was an undercover coup plot against the AKP.

Gulen's movement is believed to have masterminded the mass trials but it fell out with Erdogan over government plans to shut down the brotherhood's network of schools.

Media commentators have interpreted the latest moves for a review of the trials as a de-facto alliance between Erdogan and the army against Gulen's Hizmet brotherhood.

Aged 73, Gulen has lived in the eastern US state of Pennsylvania since he left Turkey in 1999 to escape prosecution on charges of "anti-secular activities".

His organisation revolves around a network of schools in more than 100 countries that promote Turkish culture and a moderate Islamic viewpoint. It also owns TV stations and is connected with the biggest paper in Turkey, the Istanbul-based Zaman.

"We don't know where this court procedure will lead nor whether officers will really get a retrial but many in Turkey never believed these officers did anything wrong," political analyst Rusen Cakir said.

Erdogan left Turkey for a six-day tour of Asia that will include Japan, Singapore and Malaysia and is aimed at boosting trade ties and cooperation.

He is expected to hold talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday and is also due to meet Emperor Akihito.

.


Related Links
Democracy in the 21st century at TerraDaily.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








DEMOCRACY
Turkey's jailed ex-army chief blasts 'disloyal' comrades
Ankara (AFP) Jan 03, 2014
Turkey's former army chief Ilker Basbug, the highest-ranking defendant convicted in a mass trial over an alleged coup plot, has fiercely criticised his comrades for showing a lack of loyalty and support. In his book "Suclamalara Karsi Gercekler" (Accusations Against Truth), Basbug gives an account of his two years in detention, as well as his frustration after he was jailed for life in Aug ... read more


DEMOCRACY
Philippine inflation jumps following Haiyan

'Village of Widows' determined to rebuild in India flood disaster

Classes reopen in Philippine typhoon zone

Typhoon brings unexpected medical relief to Philippine town

DEMOCRACY
Computers search for 'cheapium' versions of expensive materials

New computer memory can hold data 20 years without power

Mission to test laser communications across space distances a success

Large-aperture planar lens antennas with gradient refractive index

DEMOCRACY
Senegal to fine Russian ship for 'fishing illegally'

Partnership brings clean water to communities in Haiti, Peru

Local factors cause dramatic spikes in coastal ocean acidity

Los Angeles likely to score driest year since record-keeping began

DEMOCRACY
Trapped ships break through Antarctic ice

US icebreaker heads to Antarctic to help stuck ships

Chinese ship used in Antarctic rescue stuck in ice

Antarctic rescue bid back on as Chinese helicopter flies in

DEMOCRACY
Over 350 sick in Japan after eating pesticide-tainted food: NHK

New study may aid rearing of stink bugs for biological control

Important mutation discovered in dairy cattle

Chinese scientists create high-yield, salt-resistant rice variety

DEMOCRACY
One dead as cyclone skims France's Reunion island

Indonesian volcano erupts 30 times as 20,000 displaced

15 hurt as powerful cyclone brushes France's Reunion island

Study pinpoints likely site of next big China quake

DEMOCRACY
Colonel Ndala: slain hope of reformed DR Congo army

French defence minister sees no need for more troops in C. Africa

Fighting across South Sudan despite peace talks: army

Attacks on Chadians in C.Africa will not go 'unpunished': president

DEMOCRACY
Money Talks When Ancient Antioch Meets Google Earth

Reading a good book may make permanent changes to your brain

Finnish research team reveals how emotions are mapped in the body

What Does Compassion Sound Like?




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement