President Gül asks for ‘solution’ for ailing Ergenekon convict

ANKARA

Hilmioğlu’s family is also preparing to file an individual application to the Constitutional Court. DHA photo

President Abdullah Gül has intervened into the case of an ailing convict from the Ergenekon coup case diagnosed with cancer, formally requesting for a “solution” to allow him treatment. 

Fatih Hilmioğlu, former rector of İnönü University in the eastern Malatya province, who was sentenced to 23 years in jail for his alleged involvement in the Ergenekon case, was diagnosed with stage three liver cancer, his family said this week.

Gül, who does not have the power of granting amnesty, gave an instruction to relevant authorities to allow that Hilmioğlu is tried without detention, as the case is still pending an appeal, daily Hürriyet reported. 

According to Hürriyet, Hilmioğlu’s family is preparing to file an individual application to the Constitutional Court. Hayati Hilmioğlu, the former rector’s brother and lawyer, said they will claim in their application for a breach of the right to life and fair trial.

The Constitutional Court has recently ruled for the release of lawmakers in jail for excessive duration of detention and the violation of the right of an elected person. After announcing his brother’s health condition was critical, Hayati Hilmioğlu urged the prime minister to let his brother be treated outside of prison. 

“Either the Prime Minister will do something, or my brother is going to die,” Hayati Hilmioğlu told daily Hürriyet. Hilmioğlu has been on detention for the last five years. 

Meanwhile, the Republican People’s Party (CHP) announced that party head Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu will visit Hilmioğlu at the Silivri prison in Istanbul.

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited the ailing ex-general Ergin Saygun, convicted to an 18-year prison sentence from the Balyoz (Sledgehammer) coup plot trial, at the hospital where he was treated. 

Erdoğan, who had already voiced criticism regarding the condition of ailing convicts in coup plot trials, recently said, “there are many people who are serving prison sentences despite being innocent,” in an attempt to discredit the graft probes against the government.