‘Abolishing courts with special authority impossible’

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

Deputy PM Bülent Arınç says special-authority courts cannot be abolished. AA photo

It is effectively impossible to abolish Turkey’s much-criticized special-authority courts, Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç said June 15, adding that it would only be feasible to curb some of its broad powers.

“[The subject] will be discussed after the draft amendment is completed. We’ll only be able to learn this by the end of October, in the new legislative year,” he said.

Such courts were able to break the military’s tutelage over Turkey, Arınç said, adding that the courts’ prosecutors and judges deserved the country’s appreciation even though he admitted that they also committed serious mistakes.

“I do not approve and accept the fact that so many scientists, journalists, active or retired officers have been arrested even when they could be prosecuted pending trial,” he said.

Arınç also criticized a recent verdict on independent deputy Aysel Tuğluk on charges of making terrorist propaganda, saying:

“Serious work is needed to harmonize the anti-terror law with the European Court of Human Rights. Perhaps an amendment on the anti-terror law could be inserted into the fourth judicial reform package.”

Abortion

Deputy PM Bülent Arınç also criticized Ümit Boyner, the head of the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD), for her remarks on abortion, arguing that she was tarnishing her organization’s reputation.

“She is making careless statements. I do not know whether these careless talks would damage her, but I think these would damage the reputation of TÜSİAD,” Arınç told the private channel A Haber on June 15.

The deputy prime minister also said that if Boyner was still the head of TÜSİAD, that meant no one else wanted the job.

‘Unconscionable’

On June 14, Boyner described statements from senior government officials as “unconscionable” for insinuating the idea that rape was a natural phenomenon.

She also demanded that the government not ban abortion.

Arınç said the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) was a conservative democratic party and that it was natural for them to deal with such an important issue not only in terms of religious dimensions but also in relation to concerns over social and family values, as well as the impact on future generations.

“Mr. Prime Minister attaches great importance to this issue, and so do we. … We have to take a new decision on abortion. This should be examined scientifically and religiously,” he said.

According to Arınç, one of the reasons for the rise in the number of abortions is the imposition of a certain way of life through Turkish TV series which often portray adultery and other sorts of “immoral relations.”