Prosecutor who called MIT chief and team to testify removed from duty

What was expected to happen “did” happen and Sadrettin Sarıkaya, the Turkish prosecutor who called National Intelligence Agency (MİT) team that held talks with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to testify in an alleged terror case, was removed from the case.

İbrahim Işık and Adem Özcan were chosen to replace Sarıkaya while Bilal Bayrakar will continue his task in the investigation, the reports said.

Sarıkaya said that he heard of his removal from the case on the TV.  The former prosecutor was responsible for the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) – alleged urban wing of the PKK – investigation and he ordered Feb 8. the detention of four intelligence officers including former MİT chief Emre Taner and other former senior official Afet Güneş, as well as chief assistants, Yaşar Yıldırım and Hüseyin Kuzuoğlu. None of them abided to the order.

No other statement was made given on why Sarıkaya was relieved of his position.

SOURCE: HDN
12.02.2012

COMMENT

The picture seems to be that the government which is not very happy (at all) with inclusion of the MIT team (and Hakan Fidan in specific) in the case, has taken care of the subject by removing the prosecutor from duty. Some might consider this an interference by the authority in the field of judiciary as HSYK (Higher Court of Judges and Prosecutors) which appoints judges and prosecutors  is under the control of the government.

The saddening point though is there have been many voices for quite a while saying the detainment period is far too long for alleged suspects (Ergenekon case and all) and these have turned into punishment already. Thus the authority should attend to this issue to overcome this unfair and unjust situation. The government’s response to these comments have been “We are also not happy with such long detainments but we are not to interfere in judicial affairs as judiciary is independent etc..”.

But now it is not possible not to see the double standards applied in this most recent case where the government has immediately taken action (HSYK in stead of the government actually) and furthermore we know the authority is getting prepared to change the penal code to avoid such undesired situation in the future.

When one comes to think about it we understand the government could have taken care of the much criticized “long detainment” periods, long while ago to prevent legal injustice most suspects in prison have incurred.