Deputies petition to take part in the ongoing case

ISTANBUL - Doğan News Agency

Independent deputies Ahmet Türk (L) and Aysel Tuğluk (R).

On the 60th hearing of the ongoing “Internet Memorandum” case, Prosecutor Mehmet Ali Pekgüzel has requested that the investigation be merged with the second Ergenekon trial, while several deputies are also demanding to become parts in the case.

Independent deputies Ahmet Türk and Aysel Tuğluk, as well as Hasip Kaplan, a deputy for the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) petitioned an Istanbul court to become a party in the ongoing “Internet Memorandum” case yesterday.

Chief Justice Hüseyin Özese announced the petition submitted by lawyers Ramazan Demir, Gülcan Kartal and Filiz Ercaylan on behalf of independent Mardin deputy Ahmet Türk, independent Van deputy Aysel Tuğluk and the BDP’s Şırnak deputy Hasip Kaplan. 

The deputies petitioned the court to become a party to the case both as individuals, as well as on behalf of the legal entity of the now–defunct Democratic Society Party (DTP,) according to reports.

However, lawyer İlkay Sezer who represents former Chief of Staff İlker Başbuğ in court, reacted furiously to the deputies’ request, which he said was nothing new. He also questioned the deputies’ alleged need to renew this demand. “Is the reason for this request that a chief of staff has now come under trial?” he said.

The “Internet Memorandum,” refers to an alleged document calling for the General Staff’s creation of 42 Internet sites to distribute propaganda against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Greeks and Armenians.