More judges and prosecutors reshuffled in fresh purge

ISTANBUL – Doğan News Agency

The fresh reassignments included former prosecutor of the Ergenekon and graft probe cases Zekeriya Öz. AA photo

A total of 166 judges and prosecutors were reassigned to new posts Feb. 11 in a fresh purge after a decision from the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK). The reassignments included former prosecutor of the Ergenekon and graft probe cases Zekeriya Öz.

Öz has been assigned to the Bolu prosecutor’s office, shortly after having been assigned to Bakırköy. He said he had not been informed about his assignment. 

Öz was supervising the prosecutors who started an investigation into the graft and corruption claims on Dec. 17, 2013, and was also the lead prosecutor at the beginning of the Ergenekon coup plot case.

On Jan. 29, 90 of the 192 prosecutors appointed in Istanbul’s Çağlayan Courthouse were reassigned to new posts in a massive purge of the judiciary.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) responded to the corruption probe with waves of purges within the police department, the judiciary and other state departments. The government alleges that a “parallel state” is orchestrating the investigations in order to damage the government.