CHP demands Justice Ministry reveal Gülen extradition files

ANKARA

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has demanded the Justice Ministry reveal files that were sent to the United States for the extradition of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gülen.

“We have appealed to the Justice Ministry on May 25, demanding to examine the documents used in requesting the extradition of Gülen. In our appeal we have stated that our committee of four is available to make the examination at the Justice Ministry on May 29 or May 30,” CHP deputy group leader Özgür Özel stated in a written statement on May 29.

The appeal came after CHP’s presidential candidate Muharrem İnce said on May 18 that U.S. officials had contacted him about the extradition of Gülen, the leader of the network that orchestrated the 2016 coup attempt, and claimed the officials informed him that no proper extradition request was sent to the U.S. regarding Gülen’s extradition.

Responding to İnce’s allegations, Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ on May 19 said: “I invite Mr. İnce, legal experts and MPs to come to the Justice Ministry and see the documents for themselves.”

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s office also announced that the president will reveal documents on May 28 in a joint televised interview.

“Erdoğan revealing the document on television is not sufficient for us. We insist on our demand that the committee, which includes two CHP lawmakers and four legal experts, examines the documents in accordance with the appeal we made,” Özel said.