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Rector Haberal testifies via video conference in Ergenekon case
Haberal is currently hospitalized at the İstanbul University Cardiology Institute, which was why the court allowed him to testify through video conferencing.
In his testimony yesterday Haberal asked the 13th High Criminal Court not to release him due to his deteriorating health but to acquit him based on the evidence.
His lawyers, Serda Özelsin, Belgin Özelsin and Dilek Helvacı, and Judge Hüsnü Çalmuk were at Haberal’s bedside. Suspects retired Gen. Hurşit Tolon and Emin Şirin, who are also standing trial but not in custody, were also in the courtroom yesterday inside the Silivri Prison complex, where almost all of the suspects are being held.
During his testimony Haberal said: “If I have committed a crime, I am ready to serve my punishment. My release should occur because of the evidence. It would cause a disturbance if I were released on the basis of my health.” A number of Ergenekon suspects, including retired Gen. Tolon, have been released by the court due to poor health.
Haberal pointed out in his testimony that the indictment referred to Başkent University and the university’s television channel Kanal B as being owned by him. “I set up all these facilities, but they do not belong to me. They belong to the Republic of Turkey and the Turkish nation. The expression ‘the hospital [Başkent University Hospital] and the television channel owned by Haberal’ is incorrect. These belong to the Turkish people.”
Presiding Judge Köksal Şengül recalled some of the accusations leveled against Haberal, noting that he was accused of knowingly giving the late Prime Minsiter Bülent Ecevit the wrong treatment. In response, Haberal said he always remembered Ecevit with great respect. “Other doctors at our hospital treated Ecevit, since his condition fell out of the scope of my expertise. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank them. At that time, his health reports were given to Rahşan Ecevit, Ecevit’s former security director Recai Birgün and the prime ministerial undersecretary at the time. Ecevit was released from the hospital on May 26, 2002. There were news stories in the media at the time that Ecevit had severed all his ties with Başkent University. Both Rahşan and Bülent Ecevit released statements thanking the hospital and refuting these claims.” He said litigation between him and Birgün, who claims that Ecevit was subject to the wrong treatment, has been ongoing since 2003. Haberal noted, “Ecevit continued to serve as the prime minister for another seven months after leaving the hospital and lived on for another four years,” Haberal said. “The claims against myself and Başkent University are lies and false accusations,” he added.
In his testimony Haberal denied all accusations leveled against him and noted that he has been under arrest for the past 356 days. He also said that the decision to wiretap his mobile phone conversations was taken for the purpose of collecting evidence against him. He said another ruling to wiretap his office at Başkent University had no legal basis.
Haberal said when the police arrived to search his office on the grounds that he was suspected of being active in the Ergenekon armed terrorist organization, he handed over every document demanded by the police himself. He said this was followed by an eight-hour interrogation at the police department, when a prosecutor walked in and said television networks were airing news that Haberal had been referred to court. “Within five minutes, the prosecutor, in confirmation of the television channels, referred me to the court. The judge ruled to arrest me in 10 minutes, despite my having testified for such long hours.”
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