Ergenekon verdict conditions ‘unseen under martial law,’ says former chief of general staff

ISTANBUL – Doğan News Agency

İlker Başbuğ served among the top brass of the current government as the land forces commander and then the chief of general staff between 2006 and 2010. AFP photo

Former Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ, an imprisoned suspect in the Ergenekon coup plot case, slammed the attendance ban ahead of the verdict hearing scheduled Aug. 5 which he describe as “unseen even under martial law.” 

“The ‘court’ will announce its decision in an environment that was not even seen during the time of martial law, in which relatives are banned from attending [the hearing]. Why? Because [the panel of judges] will reach a decision based on a final opinion to which no-one with any some common sense would give credit,” Başbuğ said Aug. 4 via Twitter.

“They know they will disturb public conscience and that the public will not accept the punishment of innocent people. Because they know they will put an unprecedented stain on the glorious history of the Turkish State and Army,” he added.

Başbuğ, who served among the top brass of the current government as the land forces commander and then the chief of general staff between 2006 and 2010, in a period encompassing the first waves of arrests and the start of the trial, became one of the most high profile suspects after his arrest last year.
Başbuğ is charged with alleged leadership of a terrorist organization.

The Ergenekon trial, which has been continuing for the last four years and two months, will come to an end on Aug. 5, with the court’s announcement of the verdict.