Turkish Supreme Court Of Appeals Decides To Release Former DEP Deputies

ANKARA - Turkish Supreme Court of Appeals Criminal Department decided on Wednesday to release four former Democracy Party (DEP) deputies.
Sources told A.A correspondent that the Criminal Department decided to release four former DEP deputies including Leyla Zana, Hatip Dicle, Orhan Dogan and Selim Sadak.
The department released Zana, Dicle, Dogan and Sadak, taking into consideration time they had served their sentence in prison.
The Criminal Department sent its verdict to Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Prosecutor`s Office.
The Prosecutor`s Office will send the verdict to Ankara Chief Prosecutor`s Office, asking it to fulfil the requirements of the decision.
Ankara State Security Court (DGM) had upheld 15-year-imprisonment sentences ruled out against Zana, Dogan, Dicle and Sadak in 1994.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled in 2001 that the first trial of former DEP deputies in 1994 was not fair and independent since a military judge was among the court delegation. ECHR also stated that the rights of the suspects to use their time and make use of opportunities to prepare their defense were violated.
Lawyers of former DEP deputies asked for a re-trial on February 4, 2003 as a new article was added to the Code of Criminal Procedure (CMUK), and this demand was unanimously accepted.
Military judge did not take his place in the court delegation conducting the second trial of former DEP deputies.
The Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Prosecutor`s Office called for the quashing of the sentences against four former DEP deputies since it saw some deficiencies and mistakes during the second trial.
The Supreme Court of Appeals Criminal Department, which would hear the appeal case, set July 8 as the date of the hearing.
Former DEP deputies have served 10 years of their 15-year sentence.
(BRC-AY) 09.06.2004