ANKARA - Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu said that Turkish judiciary was independent like in all democratic countries.
Following the meeting between Aksu and German Interior Minister Otto Schily, Aksu told reporters that he and Schily discussed extradition of Metin Kaplan in the meeting.
Aksu said that Kaplan served four years' jail in Germany and said that red bulletin on Kaplan was issued in 1997.
Aksu said that the country demanded extradition of Kaplan from Germany in 1999 and stated that they reiterated the demand on extradition of Kaplan to Turkey after death penalty was lifted, but Dusseldorf Supreme Court rejected extradition request on Kaplan on May 27, 2003. Aksu said that Cologne Administrative Court also rejected the decision of German government on extradition of Kaplan. Aksu added that they appreciated German government's intention and determination on extradition of Metin Kaplan.
Stating that constitutional system in Turkey settled on three basic powers; legislation, execution and judiciary, Aksu said that Turkish judiciary was independent like in all democratic countries. Aksu said, ''thus, we have to trust in Turkish judiciary.''
Aksu said that their commitment was that maltreatment would never been overlooked.
Stating that he first issued a circular on measures which would be taken against malpractice and torture when he started to serve as Interior Minister, he said that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave an order that claims on malpractice and torture should be eradicated in his first meeting with governors of 81 provinces.
(EÖ-AÖ) 16.09.2003