ANKARA - Justice Ministry gave permission on Thursday for an investigation regarding Young Party (GP) leader Cem Uzan under the Article 159 of Turkish Penal Code (TCK).
Officials told A.A correspondent that the Justice Ministry Directorate General of Punishment Affairs examined the application of Bursa Chief Prosecutor's Office which asked for permission for an investigation regarding Uzan for his words about Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan under the Article 159 of TCK.
The Justice Ministry gave the permission to the Prosecutor's Office to launch the investigation under the mentioned article.
Bursa Chief Prosecutor's Office can file a lawsuit against Uzan in the end of this investigation.
The Prosecutor's Office had taken the speech made by Uzan in a demonstration in northwestern Bursa province under investigation as Uzan criticized Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and government after Cukurova Electricity Inc. (CEAS) and Kepez Elektrik were seized by the state.
The Office had requested permission from the Justice Ministry to launch an investigation regarding Uzan under the Article 159 of the TCK.
Article 159 of TCK regulates the crime of ''insulting spiritual personality of Turkism, Republic, Parliament, government, ministries, military and security forces or the court house.''
Under this article, imprisonment term between one and three years is asked for a person who commits the above mentioned crime.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan lodged a complaint about Young Party (GP) leader Cem Uzan due to his speech in northwestern Bursa province on Wednesday.
Istanbul bar lawyers Necmettin Aydin and Nevzat Er came to Bursa and they lodged complaint about Cem Uzan, STAR TV and Kanal 6 tv channels on behalf of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and AK Party.
(BRC-AÖ) 19.06.2003