ERGENEKON CASE

In the 116^th hearing of the first Ergenekon trial the Istanbul 13^th High Criminal Court decided to release defendants Erol Ölmez, Kahraman Şahin and Ümit Oğuzhan, all three tried on the basis of the first indictment of the Ergenekon investigation, generally referred to as the first Ergenekon trial. (The second Ergenekon trial is based on two further indictments and is being heard separately.)

Şahin and Ölmez had been detained on 25 January 2008, Ümit was in detention since 6 February 2008. All three of them were tried under charges of membership to an organization.

Judge's claim for the release of 9 people was rejected

As reported by the Turkish news site Ntvmsnbc.com, president judge Köksal Şengün demanded the release of nine other defendants, among them Emin Gürses, who is in detention since 26 February 2008, and representative of the Great Lawyers Union lawyer Kemal Kerinçsiz.

Nevertheless, the other members of the court delegation opposed that request with the majority of their votes. Thus, Gürses and Kerinçsiz will stay in prison under charges of "membership to an organization" as stated in the indictment from 10 July 2008.

Request for Abdullah Öcalan's file

Furthermore the court decided to acquire the case file concerning imprisoned Kurdistan Worker's Party leader Abdullah Öcalan from the 11^th High Criminal Court in Ankara. (EÖ/VK)