Probe in Gülen case launched due to public indignation: HSYK deputy chair

Toygun Atilla - ISTANBUL

A permit has been given to investigate three judges and one prosecutor who were temporarily suspended in a case into the Gülen movement due to “public indignation,” the deputy chair of Turkey’s Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) has stated.

The HSYK announced on April 3 that it temporarily suspended the Istanbul 25th Heavy Penal Court board head İbrahim Lorasdağı, its two members Barış Cömert and Necla Yeşil Yurt, and prosecutor Göksel Turan, after they ordered the release of 21 arrested suspects in a case into the media structure of the organization.

An upper court later accepted objections to their release.

“An investigation permit has been given based on the fact that the releases did not suit the law, the context of the dossier or the state of available evidence, as well as claims that the decisions were taken with particular intent and the fact that they created indigation among the public. The inspector will investigate, present the final report, and a decision will be made accordingly,” HSYK deputy chair Mehmet Yılmaz told daily Hürriyet.

Yılmaz also said the suspesions might have a negative effect on other courts hearing similar cases, noting that “disregarding such a precaution could become a great disadvantage for both the judiciary and judges.”

According to Yılmaz, four judicial personnel dismissed for allegedly using ByLock, an encrypted messaging application linked to Gülenists, have been returned to their duties so far, after it was found that only their children were using the application.

During the HSYK general meeting on April 3, another 45 judges and prosecutors were dismissed as a part of the ongoing investigation into the foiled coup, bringing total number of dismissed judges and prosecutors to over 4,000 since the July 2016 coup attempt.