AKP founder Hüseyin Çelik warns the government: The rule of law in Turkey has been suspended

A "Call for Justice" declaration, signed by AKP founder and former Minister of National Education Hüseyin Çelik, along with Ertuğrul Günay, Haşim Kılıç, and numerous other former politicians and academics, has been shared with the public. The declaration states that the rule of law in Turkey has been suspended and that the judiciary has fallen under the influence of the government.

The text emphasizes that "the legitimacy of the state comes from the law" and directs harsh criticism toward judicial independence. The current judicial system was questioned with the statement, "The rule of law in Turkey has been suspended, and the judiciary has come under the influence of the executive branch."

THE JUDICIARY HAS BECOME A TOOL OF POLITICS

The call, which states that the separation of powers was abolished with the 2017 constitutional amendment, draws attention to the failure to implement decisions made by the Constitutional Court (AYM) and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). The text also harshly criticizes arbitrary arrests, long-term judicial control decisions, and the use of secret witnesses.

"ARREST IS A PRECAUTION, NOT A PUNISHMENT"

The declaration further states, "Arrest is not a punishment, but a precaution that can be applied under certain conditions. Arrest and judicial control practices that serve the purpose of punishment must be ended."

Hüseyin Çelik explained the details of the declaration to Sözcü. Here are the highlights from Hüseyin Çelik's statements:

"If you ask how we came together... The individuals mentioned here are people known to the public. These are not the only people we have spoken with and shared the same concerns with. Among these people are those with very different political views, but they are a group whose common denominator is uniting on the basis of law.

Our being a state of law is our sine qua non. Being a republic is worthless; Syria is a republic, Libya is a republic... The republic we want to live in is a secular, polyphonic, and pluralistic republic that is a state of law.

I am one of the 10 people who wrote the AKP's program. It is not just about how well the AKP's program was written, but how much it is put into practice. There is a saying by Confucius: 'If the ruler is just, there is no need for law. If the ruler is not just, there is no need for law.'

I am still an AKP member. People always ask me how I can criticize my own party. Sir, being a party member and being a partisan are very different things. If you approve of everything and criticize everything the opposition parties do well, that is called partisanship. A friend is someone who holds a mirror to your face. Instead of getting angry at the mirror, you should fix your hair and appearance.

The 19 friends mentioned here have held a mirror to society today. These are people who believe that justice is the religion of the state. Justice is salt. If the salt goes bad, you cannot find anything to preserve your food.

In public opinion polls, trust in our justice system has fallen to 20 percent. Citizens no longer believe in our justice system, our judicial system."

"DISPROPORTIONATE INTERVENTIONS AGAINST CITIZENS MUST BE AVOIDED"

The call for justice expressed that practices restricting fundamental rights and freedoms must come to an end.

Criticizing the appointment of trustees, statutory decrees (KHKs), and the narrowing of freedom of expression, the text stated, "The duty of the state is to offer citizens a safe life."

The text stated, "Administrative practices that unnecessarily restrict fundamental rights and freedoms should be abandoned; the requirements of the principle of fair trial must be fully complied with, the appointment of trustees and the implementation of statutory decrees must be ended; and disproportionate interventions against citizens exercising their constitutional right to assembly and demonstration must be avoided."

The declaration also called for the improvement of prison conditions and the release of sick and elderly detainees, and included a proposal for a partial amnesty for political prisoners, excluding those who have committed serious crimes against women and children.

Mehmet Altan, Doğu Ergil, Abdulbaki Erdoğmuş, Beyhan Aslan, Müslim Doğan, Sırrı Özbek, Suat Kınıklıoğlu, Erdal Türkkan, Ali Rıza Çoban, and Helün Fırat.

News Source: 12punto