"Clear pressure" from Istanbul's chief prosecutor and police commanders have stymied further arrests in the investigation, which has already netted several high-profile political and business figures suspected of bribery and corruption, state prosecutor Muammer Akkas said in a statement.
His charge came the day after Erdogan reshuffled nearly half his cabinet following the resignation of his interior, economy and environment ministers, all of whose sons have been implicated in the scandal, and the first two detained pending trial.
The outgoing environment minister, Erdogan Bayraktar told NTV television he had been pressured to quit, and stated "I believe the prime minister should also resign".
The premier, though, appears determined to weather the storm, even as it inches closer to his inner circle and family.
He has claimed the probe was launched by a shadowy international cabal, and has ordered the sacking of dozens of police officers involved in carrying it out.
But many observers see the developments as a grievous blow to his 11-year reign, during which he has built a reputation as a formidable economic steward but also an autocratic leader.
On Thursday, the Turkish lira dived to a new record low on the developments. The Istanbul stock market has also taken a beating.
PM's son reportedly next target of probe
The opposition Cumhuriyet daily predicted an "earthquake" would ensue as investigators turned their attention to a non-governmental organisation connected to the premier's son Bilal.The paper said prosecutors were pressuring police to investigate construction tenders granted to the NGO by an Istanbul municipality, whose mayor has been implicated in the corruption scandal.
The mayor, a member of Erdogan's Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP), was briefly detained last week but later released pending trial.
Akkas said in his statement Thursday that Turkey's public "should be aware that I, as public prosecutor, have been prevented from launching an investigation".
On Wednesday he was reported to have ordered the detention of 30 more suspects in the case, including ruling party lawmakers and businessmen.
Akkas said police chiefs were acting illegally by disobeying court orders furthering the probe.
But Istanbul chief public prosecutor Turan Colakkadi hit back at Akkas's charges by saying prosecutors were not mandated to launch "random investigations".
Colakkadi also claimed Akkas was removed from the investigation because he had mishandled the proceedings and had leaked information to the media.
The internal row did not look likely to stop there.
Turkey's Higher Board of Judges and Prosecutors is backing Akkas. It says police are required to obey his orders.
Scandal linked to struggle between erstwhile allies
Political observers have linked the bribery probe to tensions between Erdogan and one of his most powerful former allies: Fethullah Gulen, an influential Muslim cleric who lives in the United States but whose followers hold key positions in Turkey's police and judiciary.The Turkish premier says he is fighting against a "state within a state", widely seen as a reference to the influential Gulenist movement, a key backer of his government when he first came to power in 2002.
Gulenists have their own media, universities, think-tanks, and businesses, and with their followers in key positions, analysts say, the movement appears to be the only force that can undermine Erdogan's party in the run up to local polls in March.
"There is not even a little sign of a ceasefire, let alone peace," columnist Rusen Cakir wrote in the Vatan daily on Thursday. "To the contrary, it appears the battle (between Erdogan and Gulen) will turn even more violent."
- AFP/ac
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Prosecutor in second graft investigation says case ‘taken out of his hands’....
ReplyDeleteThe head prosecutor in a new corruption case has said the investigation files have been “taken from his hands” after he gave instructions for the arrest of suspects, while blasting the judicial institution for obstructing the probe.
Muammer Akkaş, a former prosecutor in the Ergenekon coup plot case, denounced pressure from the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and judicial police to not carry out court orders.
“I learned that I was removed from my duty without any justification, while the search warrants, seizure [of materials] and arrest orders [were also taken from me]. The responsibility from now on falls with the Istanbul public prosecutor and his deputy. All of the public and my colleagues should know that my task as a prosecutor has been obstructed,” Akkaş said in a written statement today.
Akkaş was reportedly conducting a new graft investigation much bigger than the one that has shaken the government, daily Radikal reported Dec. 25. The fresh investigation was said to implicate key civil servants, politicians and even some artists.
Media reports today claimed the arrest orders had been made as part of the investigations, but they were not carried out due to “friction” between the judiciary and the police department.
In his statement, Akkaş also confirmed that he conveyed the arrest orders to the Istanbul Police Department on Dec. 25. He added that those were not implemented, despite a meeting he had with the police commissioner that would take part in the operation as of Dec. 25 afternoon.
“By not implementing the court decisions, the police commissioners have committed a crime. They have also allowed room for the suspects to take measures, escape or tamper with the evidences,” Akkaş said.
Chief Prosecutor denies claims, accuses Akkaş of leaks to media
Chief Prosecutor Çolakkadı denied that his office intended to obstruct the case and accused Akkaş of being the responsible for the leaks about the investigation relayed by some media reports published today.
“One of our prosecutors distributed you a [written statement]. It contained erroneous information,” Çolakkadı said, adding that the law authorized chief prosecutors to remove prosecutors if deemed necessary................http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/prosecutor-in-second-graft-investigation-says-case-taken-out-of-his-hands.aspx?pageID=238&nID=60187&NewsCatID=341
26/12/13
Justice minister slams judges board over statement on judicial police regulation....
ReplyDeleteJustice Minister Bekir Bozdağ has slammed the statement from the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) describing the new judicial police regulation obliging those carrying out investigations to inform superiors as “unconstitutional.”
Bozdağ said Dec. 27 the judicial board did not have authority to make such a statement, adding it was made public without his knowledge.
The controversial regulation “clearly breached the constitution,” the HSYK said in its Dec. 26 statement, adding it also contradicts the principle of separation of powers.
“In a manner which contradicts the principle that no institution can use a prerogative not take its origin in the law, the Board has invented itself a task on a matter that is not stated in the law,” Bozdağ said in a written statement in his first day after taking office, succeeding Sadullah Ergin.
Bozdağ also noted a lawsuit was filed in the Council of State against the regulation announced on Dec. 21. “For a board whose basic principle is to protect the independence of the judiciary, to make a statement which contains an absolute conviction that a regulation facing a nullity suit is ‘unconstitutional’ contradicts the principles of rule of law and independence of the judiciary,” Bozdağ said.
The regulation triggered anger from lawyers and increased concerns on government intervention within the judiciary.
On Dec. 26, the head prosecutor on a second graft investigation also denounced pressure on the judiciary after he was removed from the case.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/justice-minister-slams-judges-board-over-statement-on-judicial-police-regulation.aspx?pageID=238&nID=60211&NewsCatID=338
27/12/13
Prominent Turkish businessmen among arrest list in second corruption probe: Report...
ReplyDeleteProminent businessmen were among the 41 suspects who were issued arrest orders in the second corruption probe, daily Hürriyet reported Dec. 27.
The list of names contained in the official prosecution documents obtained by the daily included Nihat Özdemir, the chairman of Limak group, who is part of a consortium which has won the contract to build Istanbul’s third airport, Saudi businessman Yasin al-Qadi, who has been accused of financing terrorism in the past and the owner of the BIM discount retailer, Mustafa Latif Topbaş.
The second graft probe, reported to be larger than the first one that has shaken the government, was made public with great controversy after the head prosecutor of the case announced the investigation files were “taken from his hands.”
Muammer Akkaş said in a statement Dec. 26 the arrest orders he made as part of the investigation were not carried out, despite having been conveyed to the police department.
The documents published by Hürriyet charged the suspects of “founding a criminal organization,” “bribery and influence peddling,” “tender fraud,” “forgery in official documents,” “clearing assets acquired through criminal activity” and “threats.”
Other names on the list included the executives of two other construction companies that are part of the joint venture which won Istanbul’s third airport tender, along with Limak: Orhan Cemal Kalyoncu and Ömer Faruk Kalyoncu board chairman and deputy chairman of Kalyon respectively as well as the board member of Kolin, Celal Koloğlu. The multifaceted businessman Abdullah Tivnikli, who is the partner of the Batı Hattı A.Ş., a company which holds Gazprom deals, and Abdullah Kavukçu, partner of Simit Sarayı, a popular chain of simit cafes, are also in the list..........http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/prominent-turkish-businessmen-among-arrest-list-in-second-corruption-probe-report.aspx?pageID=238&nID=60239&NewsCatID=341
27/12/13
Top Turkey Court Blocks Government Decree Curbing Police Powers.....
ReplyDeleteTurkey's top court on Friday blocked implementation of a government decree ordering police to inform their superiors before launching investigations issued by public prosecutors, local media reported.
The government decree was introduced last week after police conducted raids targeting senior figures including the sons of ministers and businessmen as part of a fast-moving corruption inquiry.
The decree was seen as a bid by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to contain the probe that poses the biggest threat to his 11-year rule.
Erdogan has swiftly responded to the investigation by sacking dozens of police chiefs and introducing measures seen by critics as an attempt to curb independent investigations by public prosecutors.
The Council of State, Turkey's top administrative court, said it was ruling against the decree which would cause "irrevocable damage", the Hurriyet newspaper reported.
Political analysts link the high-level probe to simmering tensions between
http://www.almanar.com.lb/english/adetails.php?eid=127477&cid=22&fromval=1
27/12/13
Turkish Premier Erdogan: "Operations against so-called corruption aim to block building of new Turkey"
DeleteSAKARYA
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday the ongoing operation against "so-called corruption" aim to block the building of a new Turkey, adding "If anyone is involved in corruption, they will, in any case, be disclosed. If they misuse money or other assets of the state and usurp what feeds the orphan, we will call them to account for [what they did]."
"This agression [anti-graft operation] targets neither me nor my party, but the entire Turkish nation, its independence and future," said Erdogan.
Speaking at Sakarya University on Friday, Erdogan also touched on recent corruption allegations, slamming public prosecutor Muammer Akkas who delivered a controversial written statement to the media in front of a courthouse on Thursday, blaming the government and his superiors. Erdogan said the prosecutor's such move was a disgrace to the judiciary as he breached the confidentiality of judicial files.
Also targeting the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), the premier defined as a "criminal act" the HSYK's statement concerning a new regulation which requires police forces to inform their chiefs of any operation. Erdogan stressed he would file a criminal complaint on the grounds that the board acts contrary to 138th article of the constitution.
"We have clearly two alternatives ahead of us. Either old Turkey will go on and lose as some win or a new Turkey will be founded and will win. Now, Turkey will make a preference," said Erdogan, underlining the new Turkey is not a country whose agenda is set by the outsiders but a country setting its own agenda.