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Secret witness in Ergenekon case reveals identity
Poyraz, who was testifying via video in court on Monday during the current trial against Ergenekon, a clandestine criminal network accused of plotting to overthrow the government, said he wanted to speak openly under his own identity. “These people are already after me; they know who I am. I am fed up with this procedure -- I don't want my true voice and appearance to be distorted during court hearings,” he said.
Following Poyraz's request, the presiding judge of the İstanbul 13th High Criminal Court, Hasan Hüseyin Özese, allowed for a pause in proceedings so that Poyraz's real voice and silhouette could be seen. But Özese decided that the testifier's name should not be disclosed.
Poyraz said that from now on he wants his appearance and voice to be seen in their true capacity during hearings, and not to be distorted as they usually are when secret witnesses testify. “These people know very well who I am. They are sick of pursuing me and I am sick of trying to hide from them,” he said.
During a short break taken to adjust the computer and sound system so that Poyraz's voice and appearance could be seen in their true form, Poyraz was heard saying, “They already know who I am; am I supposed to be scared of them?”
Nineteen arrested suspects are currently being investigated for their involvement in the Ergenekon scandal, including retired Gen. Veli Küçük -- a man considered to be one of the most important suspects in the trial against Ergenekon -- and Workers Party (İP) leader Doğu Perinçek as well as retired Cpt. Muzaffer Tekin. Despite the fact that suspects Sedat Peker and Semih Tufan Gülaltay are not being held in custody for their suspected role in the Ergenekon cases, they are being tried with the arrested suspects, as both are currently under arrest for other offenses.
Suspects Sevgi Erenerol, Mehmet Zekeriya Öztürk, Hayrettin Ertekin, Seyhun Zaim and Alparslan Arslan did not take part in Monday's hearing. Suspects Erhan Timuroğlu, İsmail Sağır, Özkan Kurt, Bedirhan Şinal and Osman Yıldırım were banned from the courtroom during Monday's hearing after they caused a scene.
Özese was firm on Monday as to the regulations regarding suspects taking breaks from the hearing, announcing that it was necessary for suspects to receive permission before leaving the courtroom and that permission for only one break before and after lunch would be granted. When suspect Mehmet Fikri Karadağ asked, “Do we have to fill out an application just to go to the toilet?” Özese responded by saying, “We are all working under the same conditions and if necessary will not leave the room for as many as five hours.”
Detention period for Ergenekon suspects may be reduced
In a surprise development in the Ergenekon investigations, Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç told the Cumhuriyet daily on Tuesday that the government is considering making a proposal to Parliament to the effect that the imprisonment period for suspects awaiting trial in the Ergenekon cases be reduced from four to eight years to three to six years in order to speed up the judicial process. If passed, this would be a regulation that would also apply to prisoners from the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) who are awaiting trial.
“We are considering reducing the detention period by one year,” Arınç explained. “If we were to propose reducing it by two or three years, there would undoubtedly be a public outcry. As the situation stands, there is a possibility that detention periods may be reduced by a year in order to speed up trials,” he said.
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