Main opposition CHP forms special commission to examine jailed MP’s case

ANKARA

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has formed a special commission to examine the case of its jailed Istanbul lawmaker Enis Berberoğlu. 

The commission consisting of legal experts and journalists will follow the process of the case closely. 

The “Berberoğlu Case Tracking Commission,” which will be coordinated by CHP lawmaker from the southern province of Muğla Ömer Süha Aldan, will include lawmakers Cemal Okan Yüksel, Mehmet Gökdağ, Barış Yarkadaş and High Disciplinary Board (YDK) member Turan Aydoğan. 

Berberoğlu was sentenced to 25 years in jail for “leaking state secrets” in a Syria-bound intelligence trucks case on June 14, prompting the party’s leader, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, to launch a “justice march” from Ankara to Istanbul on June 15. 

Meanwhile, CHP lawmakers Tufan Köse, Engin Özkoç, Uğur Bayraktutan and Yarkadaş visited Berberoğlu in Maltepe Prison. 

“Berberoğlu’s health is good and he is in high spirits. He doesn’t experience any problems in jail. His only concern is the course of events in Turkey,” Köse told journalists after the visit, daily Cumhuriyet reported on Aug. 3. 

The lawmakers then visited jailed journalists in Silivri Prison. The CHP deputies spoke to Cumhuriyet CEO Akın Atalay, editor-in-chief Murat Sabuncu, journalists Ahmet Şık and Kadri Gürsel and daily Sözcü correspondent Gökmen Ulu. 

Saying that all journalists should be released as soon as possible, CHP lawmakers noted that the indictments against Ulu and another jailed Sözcü journalist Mediha Olgun must be prepared. 

“What is being awaited for the preparation of the indictment? It’s been 68 days [since their arrest] and there is still no indictment,” the lawmakers told journalists. 

All of them were arrested on terrorism charges.