Parallel State' Targets Turkey's İmage Abroad: Minister

An attempt by two Turkish judges to release the suspects in a "parallel state" investigation was itself a bid by the illegal organization to damage Turkey's standing in the international arena, Culture and Tourism Minister Faruk Celik has said.



His comments on Tuesday came after Turkey's top judicial board ruled earlier in the day that an investigation into the two judges suspended after making the release decision - which has been ruled "null and void" by an Istanbul judge - would continue.



Celik said at a meeting of The Anadolu Agency Editors' Desk:  "They know this would never get a positive response in Turkey, but they want to create the impression that 'a court has made a ruling and it was blocked by the government'.



"There is treachery in that as well."



The legal teams representing dozens of police officers detained as part of the "parallel state" case last week sought their release through a recusal request that they made to an unauthorized first-instance court, which ruled for their release despite not having access to suspects' investigation files.



Graft probe 'aftershock'



The authorized penal court countered the move by overriding the first-instance court's ruling and blocking the release via the prosecutor's office in charge of the prison facilities where the detainees were held.



Celik described the confusion as an "aftershock" of the December 17-25 graft probes, which targeted high-profile politicians and businessmen, including four cabinet members.



"After the December 17-25 was foiled, they ("parallel state") are exerting themselves to mar Turkey's image and credit around the world," the minister said.



As well as the two judges involved in the ruling, a third released three police officers suspected of being "parallel state" members in southeastern province of Sanliurfa in January.



Celik also criticized the "parallel state" over its alleged involvement in an ongoing case involving alleged fraud concerning the 2010 Public Personnel Selection Examination.



Judges suspended



An Ankara court has so far detained and charged dozens of people as part of the case.



Turkey's top judicial board ruled earlier on Tuesday that an investigation into the two judges who were suspended after they decided to release suspects in the "parallel state" case should continue.



The Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors, or the HSYK, decided Metin Ozcelik, judge of the Istanbul 29th Penal Court of First Instance and Mustafa Baser, judge of the Istanbul 32nd Penal Court of First Instance, should continue to be investigated after they were suspended a day earlier.



Ozcelik and Baser were suspended on grounds of "damaging the reputation and influence of the judiciary" after they attempted on Saturday to order the release of Hidayet Karaca, the chairman of the Samanyolu Media Group, and 75 others, including some police chiefs, being probed in a "parallel state" case.



Istanbul judge Erdogan Simsek also declared on Tuesday that the "unauthorized" release decisions were "null and void", confirming a similar declaration by Istanbul's 10th Penal Court of Peace on Sunday.



'Stronger democracy'



The ongoing "parallel state" case was launched on Dec. 14, 2014, against senior media figures and police officers in 13 provinces across Turkey for allegedly being affiliated with what the government describes as a "parallel state" - a purported group of bureaucrats embedded in the country's institutions, including the judiciary and the police which the Turkish government alleges are plotting to undermine it. 



Members of the "parallel state" - which refers to the so-called "Gulen movement" allegedly involving U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen and his supporters - are also accused of orchestrating a corruption probe which targeted high-ranking Turkish officials in Dec. 2013.



Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu both slammed the judges' order for the suspects in the "parallel state" case to be freed, claiming the decision "came from Pennsylvania", referring to Fetullah Gulen.



Karaca has been charged with "managing a terrorist organization".



Separately, in reference to the presidential system debate in Turkey, Celik said the form of governance which his government aims to establish in lieu of the parliamentary system would help make democracy stronger, and support -- rather than hinder -- the separation of powers.



www.aa.com.tr/en - Ankara