Death penalty debate designed to pardon FETÖ members: CHP

ANKARA

Recent statements from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) for calls to reinstate the death penalty is an effort to grant a “disguised amnesty” for the member of fugitive FETÖ members, Republican People’s Party (CHP) Spokesperson Faik Öztrak said on Sept. 7.

“The death penalty issue is brought up by the rulers of the country whenever the country is in trouble. This is either an effort to change the agenda or an effort to pardon FETÖ’s members who fled abroad,” he told reporters at a press conference.

Reinstating the death penalty will give ground to countries to reject Turkey’s extradition demands for FETÖ members and as a social democratic party, the CHP is against the death penalty, he said.

He recalled Turkey’s commitments to the European bodies and said reinstating the death penalty would mean the end of its relations with Europe.

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli made a call on Sept.2 for reinstating the death penalty that would be a deterrent for some crimes.

In 2001, the Turkish Parliament abolished the death penalty for crimes, excluding those committed during times of war and related to terrorism. It was completely removed from the penal code in 2004.
There have been frequent calls by the AKP for capital punishment to be reinstated in the country, following its abolition in 2004 as part of reforms aimed at securing European Union membership, particularly after the failed July 2016 coup attempt.