Court sentences many suspects to life in Ergenekon case

An Istanbul court on Monday sentenced Turkey’s former chief of general staff  to life without parole and handed down harsh sentences to nearly 300 defendants, including many former military force commanders accused of plotting to topple the government.

The court sentenced former military chief Gen. Ilker Basbug, journalist Tuncay Ozkan, retired Col. Dursun Cicek, lawyer Kemal Kerincsiz, Workers’ Party (IP) leader Dogu Perincek, retired Col. Fuat Selvi, Hasan Ataman Yıldırım, retired generals Hursit Tolon, Nusret Tasdeler, Hasan Igsiz and Sener Eruygur to aggravated life imprisonment. Retired Brig. Gen. Veli Kucuk, Capt. Muzaffer Tekin and Council of State shooter Alparslan Arslan got consecutive life sentences in the trial. The court acquitted a total of 21 of the 275 defendants.  The trial had been ongoing since 2008, after the discovery of a weapons arsenal in an Istanbul district.

Force commanders were given lengthy or life sentences on charges of attempting to overthrow the government, but there were also civilians, such as journalists Tuncay Ozkan and Mustafa Balbay, who were given lengthy prison terms. Ozkan was given 22 years and six months in jail while Balbay, who is also a Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy, was given 34 years and eight months. Sixteen of those convicted were released on the grounds that they have served their sentences already considering the time they spent under arrest during the course of the trial.

Another deputy, CHP Zonguldak deputy Mehmet Haberal was given 12 and a half years on coup-attempt-related charges but was released. Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO) President Sinan Aygun, was sentenced to 13 years and six months. Journalist Yalcın Kucuk, who was accused of being one of the chief members in the administration of the organization, was given 22 years and six months. Dogu Perincek, head of the Workers’ Party (İP), was given life without parole.

Another key defendant, Veli Kucuk, was given two consecutive life sentences. Kucuk is a retired general and is believed to be the founder of the illegal intelligence unit JITEM.

Well-known mafia leader Sedat Peker was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his involvement in Ergenekon.

Osman Yildirim, who was among the suspects of the 2007 Council of State attack, got eight years and nine months. Former National Security Council (MGK) Secretary-General Tuncer Kilinc was sentenced to 13 years.

07.08.2013
SOURCE: MEDIA