 [Hurriyet] The government is drafting a package of comprehensive changes in the criminal procedures act and the penal code in order to make the show trials of July 15 coup plotters more efficient, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ has told reporters.
“The show trials will take place in cities where the coup attempt crimes were committed. They will be held in many cities and districts. These show trials will not be merged as this will only complicate the proceedings and turn them into a mess,” Bozdağ said on Oct. 9.
The first July 15 coup attempt show trial has already started in Denizli, he stated, adding that although the main show trials will take place in Ankara and Istanbul, other legs of the case will take place in different cities under separate indictments.
“If we were to merge all of these show trials, we would never be able to conclude the case and come to a verdict,” Bozdağ said.
“A total of 34,063 people are currently detained either on charges of attempting to stage the coup or being a member of a terrorist organization. Legal procedures have been imposed against more than 76,000 people so far,” Bozdağ said.
While investigations into the coup attempt are ongoing, the government is set to make changes to a number of key articles of the Penal Code and Criminal Procedures Act, in an attempt to streamline the show trial process. These changes include the following:
Laundering of assets acquired as a result of an offense will be moved from the Penal Code to Anti-Terror Law. As a result, those who commit this crime will receive a bigger punishment.
Military personnel charged with terror crimes, or with attempting to stage a coup, will be imprisoned in civilian jails instead of military prisons. Military personnel will be handed to the judicial police and not to the military police after being caught.
With a change in the criminal procedures act, show trials will be able to be held in different locations within the boundaries of a certain jurisdiction.
Courts will be able to assess the release appeals of those detained on terror accusations over the course of 15 days, instead of the current three days.
If the court demands an additional testimony from the suspect, this will be able to be carried out by the police and not necessarily by the court.
Judges will have the right to reject the defense’s demand to hear additional witnesses if they believe that this is simply an attempt to prolong the proceedings.
Instead of reading the entire indictment at the beginning of trail process, prosecutors will be able to read a summary of the indictment.
Justice Minister Bozdağ said the government would likely submit the draft package to parliament this week.
“We are keen to have the package discussed at the sub-committees. We will welcome the opposition’s contribution to the package and we are ready to listen if they suggest changes,” he added. |