Justice Minister Tunç's statement on TÜSİAD: 'Before our President's speech...'

The events surrounding the investigation launched into the Chairman of the Board of the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD), Orhan Turan, and the High Advisory Council President, Ömer Arif Aras, continue to remain on the agenda. Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç provided an assessment regarding their release under judicial control conditions after they gave statements in the investigation initiated over remarks criticizing the government during the association's general assembly. 

Speaking to TGRT Haber, Minister Tunç said, "There was no detention order for the TÜSİAD presidents. Furthermore, the investigation did not start yesterday; it had begun before our President's speech. The taking of statements coincided with yesterday. The investigation will continue. Our President also addressed the issue in detail. Non-governmental organizations can express their opinions freely. TÜSİAD aimed to influence ongoing investigations. Our President addressed this issue and expressed his reaction. We emphasize that Turkey does not deserve the points made in the speeches of the TÜSİAD executives."

Tunç responded to the criticisms regarding trustees in the TÜSİAD presentation as follows: 

"In their speeches, they tried to express that there is no legal security in Turkey by pointing out deficiencies and using concrete examples. By mentioning the investigations carried out by the judiciary and stating that this 'damages legal security,' a large group has formed that thinks that ongoing investigations are also being attempted to be influenced.

Temporary assignments were made to some DEM Party and CHP municipalities due to links to terrorism. There are mayors whose terrorism investigations are ongoing. There is no mayor who was removed from office and replaced by a trustee for no reason. The TÜSİAD president is saying this. TÜSİAD should say 'Turkey is producing.' The decision on the investigations launched lies with the judiciary. They say, 'Trustees are being appointed in place of elected mayors, this is not right.' Here, the removal of elected mayors from office and making appointments in their place is something that exists in our constitution. Some mayors are removed from office due to terrorism, while others are removed due to corruption... For the CHP and DEM Party municipalities, it is not actually a trustee, but a temporary assignment; there are ongoing investigations regarding terrorism against them."

News Source: 12punto