Minister Tunç responds to claims that 200 PKK terrorists were released

Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç made important statements to members of the press regarding claims that 200 PKK convicts had been released. Stating that the releases in question were carried out in accordance with a decision made by the Constitutional Court (AYM) in recent months, Tunç said, "The figures in the press are not correct. Reports claiming that 200 or 700 people have been released are pure speculation."

Speaking to journalists, Tunç said the following:

"A problem was encountered in practice, particularly regarding participants. When a person participated in an illegal demonstration, they were receiving a sentence, but they were also being sentenced as if they were a member of the organization that organized that demonstration. The Constitutional Court issued an annulment decision on the grounds that punishing someone for both crimes due to a single act was excessive. In line with this annulment decision, a result emerged where these individuals received sentences for the crimes they committed, but could not be sentenced as members of an organization because they were not members. The figures in the press are not correct. Of course, this is a matter carried out entirely within the framework of the Constitutional Court's decision. Reports claiming that 200 or 700 people were released cause misunderstandings; it is entirely in line with the decision given by the Constitutional Court. If a person received a sentence for meetings and demonstrations, the Constitutional Court ruled that it is not in accordance with the law to sentence them as a member of the organization that organized it, and proceedings are being carried out in line with this decision."

STATEMENT ON MEHMET MURAT ÇALIK

İYİ Party Group Deputy Chairman Turhan Çömez had claimed that the report provided to Beylikdüzü Mayor Mehmet Murat Çalık from the İzmir Atatürk Training and Research Hospital had been tampered with by the Council of Forensic Medicine. Speaking on this claim and the possibility of Mehmet Murat Çalık's release, Tunç used the following expressions:

"We could say that some people have caught a disease of lying. Our Council of Forensic Medicine is a 200-year-old institution, and it is an organization where the state's reliable and internationally accredited experts, whose practices are watched with admiration and interest by forensic medicine experts from many countries around the world, serve as expert witnesses. There can be no tampering here. After the arrest decision, because the individual fell ill in prison, he was first treated in the prison infirmary. Later, when he became worse, he was taken to the hospital again. Examinations were conducted, and reports were sent to the Council of Forensic Medicine within the framework of requests regarding his release; he was also examined by the Council of Forensic Medicine. It was decided that certain tests should be performed, and his hospitalization continues in this regard.

Following these tests, the Council of Forensic Medicine will issue a new report, and within this framework, judicial authorities will make the necessary decisions. Here, the health conditions of all convicts, not just Çalık, are important. While they are in prison, their health and housing conditions are entrusted to the state. There are provisions regarding what can be done for convicts and detainees, and decisions are made within this framework. After the tests requested by the Council of Forensic Medicine are completed, the Council of Forensic Medicine will issue a new report, and the judiciary will make its decision regarding the report."