Summary of proceedings prepared for 12 MPs in Cumhuriyet journalists’ intel truck case
ISTANBUL
DHA photo
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has prepared a summary of proceedings for 12 deputies for violating an article of the rally and demonstration marches law, as well as violating privacy of the trial, as part of the closed-door trial of Cumhuriyet journalists Can Dündar and Erdem Gül in the case of intelligence trucks bound for Syria.According to summary of proceedings prepared by Istanbul Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor Selamettin Celep on Sept. 9, nine main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and three Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) deputies who gathered inside and outside Istanbul’s Çağlayan Courthouse on March 25 during the journalists’ trial were acting against the article banning meetings in buildings and facilities hosting public service.
The deputies included were CHP deputies Enis Berberoğlu, Gürsel Tekin, Şafak Pavey, Mahmut Tanal, Barış Yarkadaş, İlhan Cihaner, Hilmi Yarayıcı, Tuncay Özkan and Engin Özkoç and HDP deputies Garo Paylan, Filiz Kerestecioğlu and Meral Danış Beştaş.
The prosecutor’s office has also prepared a separate summary of proceedings against Paylan and two CHP deputies, Sezgin Tanrıkulu and Tanal, on charges of obstructing justice and violating the privacy of the trial during the same hearing.
Despite the fact that the Istanbul 14th court of serious crimes ruled for a closed-door trial in the case, Paylan, Tanrıkulu and Tanal ignored the chief judge’s warnings and refused to leave the courtroom, causing the adjournment of the hearing, the summary of proceedings noted.
The summary of proceedings has been sent to the Grand National Assembly in order to allow parliament to open an investigation and lift the deputies’ immunities.
On March 25, a large group of supporters, including journalists, consul generals and representatives of trade bodies, accompanied Dündar and Gül during the trial for “leaking state secrets” due to stories they published about National Intelligence Organization (MİT) trucks bound for Syria with hidden weapons in early 2014.
Dündar and Gül were arrested on Nov. 26, 2015 but released pending trial on Feb. 26 following a Constitutional Court decision.
An Istanbul court later sentenced them to five years in prison for “leaking state secrets” on May 6 but they were later freed pending an appeal.
