Turkish justice minister hints at retrial of Ergenekon case

Oya Armutçu ANKARA - Hürriyet

Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ chairs a meeting of the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors Jan. 15. AA photo

Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ said they are working regarding the retrials of the controversial Ergenekon and Balyoz (Sledgehammer) case with instructions from the prime minister, speaking at the Parliamentary Justice Commission on Jan. 16. 

The government is working on retrials of the Ergenekon and Balyoz coup plot cases, said Bozdağ adding they will soon meet with Metin Feyzioglu, head of the Union of Bar Associations (TBB), who recently submitted proposals to clear the way for the retrial of jailed officers, over the issue. Responding to the opposition’s criticism saying the government will not act on the issue, Bozdağ said they will take “concrete steps.”

Bozdağ also said the state should not pay the price of the judges’ mistakes and also said the complaints against the judges of the Ergenekon and Balyoz cases might be discussed after the recent bill on the judiciary is enforced into law. 

“We do not find it right to file a complaint against the state in cases when a prosecutor or judge does a wrongful act. We are trying to change this,” Bozdağ added.