SILIVRI: A Turkish court on Monday sentenced a former army chief to life in prison in a high-profile trial of 275 people accused of plotting against the Islamic-rooted government, a ruling that sparked angry protests in the streets.
Police fired tear gas and water cannon at thousands of protesters outside the court near Istanbul after the verdicts were delivered in the divisive case, which resulted in lengthy prison sentences for the majority of the accused, including top brass, journalists and opposition lawmakers.
Ex-military chief Ilker Basbug, several other army officers as well as reporter Tuncay Vzkan and lawyer Kemal Keringsiz, were all sentenced to life in prison, while 21 people were acquitted.
The trial was seen as a key test in Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's showdown with secularist and military opponents during his decade-long rule.
The defendants faced dozens of charges, ranging from membership of an underground “terrorist organisation” dubbed Ergenekon to arson, illegal weapons possession, and instigating an armed uprising against Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP), which came to power in 2002.
Journalist Mustafa Balbay, an elected deputy of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), was handed 34 years and eight months.
Another CHP deputy Mehmet Haberal, a professor, saw part of his 12.5-year sentence reduced and was allowed to walk free given time already served.
According to the private NTV television station, another 15 people were also convicted but immediately released.
Tensions were high outside the high-security tribunal in the town of Silivri, near Istanbul, throughout the hearing.
After the verdicts were announced, fierce clashes erupted between police and about 10,000 protesters on the Istanbul-Tekirdag highway, a few hundred metres (yards) from the court complex, an AFP photographer reported.
Protesters threw stones at riot police who responded with water cannon, tear gas and rubber bullets to break up the demo that was blocking traffic.
Istanbul governor Huseyin Avni Mutlu had on Friday said that demonstrations outside the court would not be allowed.
In Ankara, hundreds of people also took to streets in protest at the court ruling, chanting: “We are soldiers of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk,” a reference to modern Turkey's founder.
Related tags:
Latest news, world news, current affairs, breaking news, arab
country news, daily news, Islamic news, india news, Pakistan news, , india Pakistan
news, current news, news headlines, Latest World News,Articles,
Latest news, latest urdu news, world news, current affairs,
breaking news, arab country news, sport news, cricket news, daily news, Islamic
news, india news, Pakistan news, india Pakistan news, current news,Current
affairs, Economic Affairs,Islam and Human Rights, Islam and Politics , Islam
and the West, Muslim Media, Islamic Society, Islamic World,Latest World
News, breaking news ,Top Breaking News, Current Affairs, daily news, recent
news, news headlines
No comments:
Post a Comment