Court refuses lack of jurisdiction in coup case

ANKARA - Anadolu Agency

Retired general and suspect Ergin Celasin arrives at Ankara court.

Ankara 13th High Criminal Court refused to give a decision of lack of jurisdiction on the Feb. 28 case, dubbed the post-modern coup, today while the hearings continued with the reading of the indictment.

Some suspects and their lawyers have requested the court to give a decision of lack of jurisdiction and send the case to the military court or Supreme Court. However, Ankara 13th High Criminal Court rejected that demand. 

The court said that the Constitution’s 145/1 article says that the crimes against the state’s security and Constitutional order would be tried in the civilian courts.

During the hearing, retired general and suspect Teoman Koman fainted before he was removed from the courtroom. He received his first medical assistance in the courthouse. Koman was released later on today. 

Meanwhile, the National Security Council denied reports that claimed the withholding of records of the crucial 1997 meeting as “state secret,” as the council later on announced that they were asked to share the records with the court, and would be willing to do so if it was asked. 

The suspects of the case include other former generals, including Çevik Bir, Erdal Ceylanoğlu and Çetin Doğan, as well as Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) deputy Engin Alan and former head of Higher Education Board (YÖK) Kemal Gürüz.