Ex-Interior Minister Sadettin Tantan does not appear at court, reports sick

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Sadettin Tantan, the then-Interior Minister did not appear at the court in today's hearing of the case on the "Back to Life" operation of December 19, 2000, where he was called to witness.

Tantan sent the court a health report stating that he was reported sick for five days.

The court had decided that the then-Interior Minister Tantan should be listened to as a witness 21 years after the deadly prison operation.

First "address could not be found" then "security risk"

Following this decision, the court sent the Ministry of Interior a letter for Sadettin Tantan. The Ministry responded in the next hearing saying that "the up-to-date address of Sadettin Tantan could not be found." So the court was not able to send a notification to Tantan to witness."

In the next hearing, Tantan communicated to the court that he could not attend due to "security risk."

The Court invited Tantan to today's hearing in order to listen to him through the audiovisual information system (SEGBİS) in order to overcome the security concern. However today Tantan did not attend the hearing again, this time reporting sick.

Tantan and Ertosun "witnesses" 21 years later

Bakırköy 13th Heavy Penal Court had decided on December 9 Aralık 2021, in the 44th hearing of the case to listen to the then-Interior Minister Sadettin Tantan and Ali Suat Ertosun, the Director of Prisons and Detention Houses of the period.

Güçlü Sevimli, an intervening lawyer in the case, had told bianet that they had been requesting that these two people should be listened to for many years which was always rejected. "The action plan signed by Tantan is already included in the case file. It is a significant development that they will be listened to at the court." Sevimli had said.

Colonel in Operation: Tantan is one of the four responsible

Colonel Ali Aydın, who was a Gendarme commander during the operation had listed in his second statement in the case those responsible for the operation.

Aydın had said," Each unit had another commander. But if we are to ask for a number one, it would be the deceased Bülent Ecevit (then-PM), number two would be Sadettin Tantan, number three would be the Minister of Justice Hikmet Sami Türk, and number four Aytaç Yalman. These are responsible for the operation. Aytaç Yalmaç was the commander in chief of gendarme at the time."

A new letter to MGK

It was revealed in yesterday's hearing of the case that the National Security Council (MGK) had sent old press statements in reply to the court instead of any documents of the period that would reveal information about the deadly operation. 

The court has decided today to write a new letter and request from MGK the documents of the time related to the operation. (AS/PE)