Retrial demand of Balyoz convicts rejected once again by court

ISTANBUL

The Balyoz retrials look set to come under particular focus with an initiative carried by the head of the Union of Turkish Bars (TBB).

A demand for the retrial of the convicts in the Balyoz (Sledgehammer) coup plot case was rejected once again by an Istanbul court Feb. 3. A similar ruling was overturned last week by an upper court, on the grounds that judges who were involved in the original prosecution process were unable to make a decision about the retrial.

A new committee was subsequently assigned to examine the retrial demand after the objection was upheld. The committee consisted of the Istanbul 17th High Criminal Court head Gökmen Demircan, as well as two judges from the Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court, Nalan Can and Abdullah Öztürk.

The Istanbul 10th High Criminal Court had unanimously rejected the Balyoz convicts’ retrial request on Jan. 24, stating that no legal justifications could be found for a retrial.

The fresh rejection comes as the Balyoz retrials look set to come under particular focus with an initiative carried by the head of the Union of Turkish Bars, Metin Feyzioğlu. 

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan himself expressed that the government was “warm” to Feyzioğlu’s proposals. 

On Oct. 9, 2013, the Supreme Court of Appeals ruled for the retrial of 88 convicted suspects, while approving the convictions of 237 suspects in the case.