Turkish government's motivations for retrials not convincing, CHP deputy chair says

ANKARA

CHP Deputy Chair Faruk Loğoğlu suggested the move is an attempt to divert the agenda from corruption and bribery claims. CİHAN photo

The government’s expressed intention for the retrial of hundreds of military officers convicted on coup plot charges is not convincing, main opposition Republican Peoples’ Party (CHP) Deputy Chair Faruk Loğoğlu has said.

Loğoğlu suggested the move is an attempt to divert the agenda from corruption and bribery claims.

“We want justice even if it is late. We are ready to give support,” Loğoğlu said on Jan. 6 at a press conference.

Loğoğlu said he did not regard the government’s approach as a sincere attempt to secure justice, as they were so late. “Did your conscience just realize?”

If there is a need for retrial, then all suspects should be released and should stand trial without arrest, the CHP lawmaker stated.

Retrials are possible for other cases as well, such as game-fixing cases, according to Loğoğlu.
Turkey’s main agenda is corruption and bribery, whatever the government does, he noted, adding the CHP would follow up the issue.

Citing a suspected truck allegedly carrying arms to Syria, Loğoğlu said Turkey gave an impression of being a country “living within terrorism, embracing terrorism.”

The CHP lawmaker said Turkmen groups in Syria denied the truck was carrying aid to them. “Since when is humanitarian aid a state secret?” he asked.

Last week, a truck was followed by a team of police from Hatay’s Terror and Organized Crime Department on a tipoff that it was carrying weapons and ammunition to Syria. It was stopped twice by the police, first near a gendarmerie outpost on the Reyhanlı-Kırıkhan road and again on the Muratpaşa road. The police were prevented from searching the truck’s cargo by an official statement from Gov. Celalettin Lekesiz, who said the cargo was a state secret.