The Supreme Board of Prosecutors and Judges (HSYK) announced on Tuesday that three new prosecutors had been appointed to serve in İstanbul, but did not say if the prosecutors would serve at the İstanbul Public Prosecutor's Office or in the Ergene-kon investigation. The ambiguity prompted several news agencies and press outlets to speculate that the new prosecutors had been appointed to the Ergenekon case, which sparked harsh reactions from various segments of the society, out of concern that this could be an attempt to downplay the ongoing investigation into Ergenekon.
The Young Civilians, a Turkish nongovernmental organization noted for its use of sarcasm in its protests, were the first to protest the prospect of more prosecutors into Ergenekon. The group gathered in front of the İstanbul 13th High Criminal Court yesterday and made a statement, which criticized the HSYK and former prosecutors who fervently expected more prosecutors into the case.
 The Young Civilians slammed the prospective appointment of new prosecutors into the ongoing investigation into Ergenekon in a protest yesterday in front of the İstanbul Court. |
“Forty prosecutors into the Ergenekon case will not suffice, let there be 367,” the statement read, poking fun at former Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Prosecutor Sabih Kanadoğlu, who previously stated that at least 40 prosecutors should be appointed to the case. Kanadoğlu nullified the election of Abdullah Gül as president in 2007, prompting the Constitutional Court to enforce a quorum of two-thirds -- 367 deputies of a total of 500 -- of Parliament for the first two rounds of voting.
“Kanadoğlu wanted 40 prosecutors in the Ergenekon case; and the number of Ergenekon prosecutors has started to increase. Uncle Sabih! Why don’t you just take your hand out of our lives and leave us alone? It is apparent that Kanadoğlu will not settle for 40 prosecutors, and even 367 prosecutors will not be enough for him. The latest trick of those who have come to realize that they will no longer be able to play down the Ergenekon case with the recent discovery of Ergenekon ammunition aims to water down its prosecutors now,” the statement continued.
The Young Civilians also stated that Turkish society was fully aware of what the appointment of new prosecutors into Ergenekon would mean. “We think there is one point they have disregarded. ... We are not the idiots that you suppose us to be. Having become bitter from our experiences in the past, we will not allow you to cover up the Ergenekon case. Beware!” they said.
