Prosecutors Announce Decision Of Non-Prosecution In Dec. 25 Probe

Prosecutors investigating the second wave of a corruption and bribery investigation that became public on Dec. 25 of last year announced on Monday a decision of non-prosecution against 96 suspects.

The prosecutors -- İsmail Uçar, İrfan Fidan and Fuzuli Aydoğan -- described the investigation as an “attempt to prevent the Turkish government from working.”

“Preparing a summary of proceedings that shows the prime minister of the Turkish Republic [Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who is now president] as a member of a criminal organization and that refers to him as then-prime minister reveals an attempt to forcefully overthrow the government or prevent the government from fulfilling its duties,” the prosecutors stated in their decision, according to initial reports.

The prosecutors also said judicial bodies are required to comply with the laws and Constitution and that they do not have the authority or duty to redesign politics -- in clear reference to prosecutors who launched the corruption and bribery probe that became public on Dec. 25.

The prosecutors, in addition, said there is no need to investigate individuals referred to as suspects in the Dec. 25 investigation on accusations of establishing a criminal group or becoming a member of a criminal group as there is no evidence to support the accusations.

In the meantime prosecutor Muammer Akkaş, who was dismissed while overseeing the Dec. 25 corruption investigation that implicated government officials, commented on the decision of non-prosecution in the investigation. Speaking to the media Akkaş said that after the decision becomes final the documents in the case file will be destroyed, in 15 days as per procedure, and added, “But I don't know if the case will be closed in people's minds."

On Dec. 25, the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office ordered the detention of 30 suspects, including a number of deputies and businessmen. The İstanbul Police Department, which saw an extensive purge of its top officers following the Dec. 17 corruption operation, did not comply with the order, however.

Shortly after the order, prosecutors involved in the Dec. 25 investigation were removed from office on the grounds that they had abused their authority. The government assigned new prosecutors to the investigation -- in an apparent move to drop charges against corruption suspects.

Among the main suspects of the Dec. 25 investigation was President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's son, Bilal, businessmen Mehmet Cengiz and Latif Topbaş and Yasin al-Qadi, a Saudi Arabian businessman who is on the US Treasury Department's “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” list.

In May, Erdoğan said publicly that an indictment had been prepared after the major graft operations of Dec. 17 and 25 and that the document had referred to him as “then-prime minister,” implying that a criminal case to be launched using the indictment would help overthrow him and his government.

However, it was later revealed that there was no such indictment.

In their decision, prosecutors Uçar, Fidan and Aydoğan also called for legal action against the prosecutors and police officers who carried out the Dec. 25 investigation.

In addition, the prosecutors referred to the Foundation of Youth and Education in Turkey (TÜRGEV), on whose executive board Bilal Erdoğan sits, as a foundation that was established to serve the Turkish youth. According to the prosecutors, the foundation works in full compliance with the law.

However, TÜRGEV is at the center of the Dec. 17 corruption investigation, which includes serious allegations of bribery and irregularities within the foundation. Prosecutors involved in the probe claimed that Bilal Erdoğan abused his father's influence to help TÜRGEV purchase valuable land in several provinces at prices far below market value. Various news reports have emerged over the past few months noting the donations of plots of land and recreational facilities to TÜRGEV that have been made by some municipalities.

Yakup Çetin (Cihan/Today's Zaman)