“The truth will out”

CHP Deputy General Chair Muharrem Erkek visited our newspaper’s Executive Board Chair Akın Atalay and businessman Osman Kavala who are being held in detention in Silivri. Erkek, speaking of Atalay’s conviction that he will gain his freedom very soon, said, “The aim of penal law is to ascertain the truth. And the truth will out at the end of these trials.” Erkek, calling on the Constitutional Court (CC) to “be brave,” conveyed Atalay’s comment, “If a price is to be paid, we’ll pay it and continue our struggle for democracy and freedom.”

 The CHP’s Erkek visited the detainees Atalay and Kavala in Silivri. Erkek, pointing to the Constitutional Court’s ruling on book supplement editor Turhan Günay who numbers among the defendants in the trial targeting our newspaper, commented, “The CC made a declaration of rights violation. Following this ruling, it is contrary to the Constitution and law for there to remain a single detainee.” Erkek, saying, “The aim of penal law is to ascertain the truth. And the truth will out at the end of these trials,” continued, “We know the operation and trial against Cumhuriyet newspaper is to subject the opposition to duress. The CC has examined the case file under which Atalay has been detained and spoken of a ‘rights violation.’ Following this ruling, nobody from Cumhuriyet should remain in detention, but Atalay is still detained. He is in good spirits and says, ‘If a price is to be paid, we’ll pay it and continue our struggle for democracy and freedom.’ If the CC, in spite of everything, is the guarantee of due process, freedoms and justice, it must not forget this and must be brave. Major duties are incumbent on the CC here. The CC must thus adopt the necessary stance.”

 “LORİ” BECOMES “LOBBY”

 Erkek, noting in turn that Osman Kavala whom he spoke to in jail is awaiting his indictment, said, “He is awaiting the indictment, but as to the kind of indictment, the kind of fabrication, he will encounter, he is none the wiser. He still does not know why he is in jail. He is waiting to appear before a court on his own. These injustices must be ended. Looking at the allegations against Kavala, there is an endeavour to implicate him in the Gezi movement and 15 July. There is absolutely no concrete evidence.” Erkek gave the following account of an allegation made against Kavala during his police interrogation: “Kavala has an Armenian friend named Lori. In a conversation about Lori, ‘Lori’ was construed to be ‘lobby’ in a sentence taking the form, ‘Lori will be here. I’ll discuss it with Lori, too.’ On this basis, I think Kavala is believed to be acting in concert with a certain lobby. He was confronted with this matter at the police. It is incorrect to tie people in with certain movements without concrete evidence. Restrictions such as meetings with lawyers have been lifted and he is able to speak to lawyers more frequently. He has a ten-minute phone call entitlement every fifteen days, but he cannot write or receive letters. He is patiently awaiting a fair trial and the indictment.”

 http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/siyaset/950711/_Gercekler_aydinlanacak_.html