ISTANBUL - The High Criminal Court in Istanbul decided to listen to eight people including former President Suleyman Demirel in retrial of former deputy Sedat Edip Bucak under the ''Susurluk Case'' as witness.
During the hearing, Mahmut Sevket Kucuk and Suleyman Cinar Bacanli advocating Bucak reiterated their request to summon eight people including former President Demirel, former Prime Minister Tansu Ciller, former Interior Minister Mehmet Agar and former Chief of Staff Gen. Dogan Gures as defense witnesses.
The court delegation accepted the request, and decided to listen to those names as witness at the upcoming hearings.
Later the hearing was adjourned.
A lawsuit was filed against Bucak when his political immunity was lifted by the parliament after being involved in a traffic accident in Susurluk on November 3rd, 1996. He was accused of forming a criminal organization and hiding whereabouts of Abdullah Catli.
On June 26th, 2003, the court decided to acquit Bucak.
However, the Supreme Court of Appeals 8th Criminal Chamber ruled that Bucak should be retried.
The retrial of Bucak started on March 29th, 2005.