Date : 02/12/2003
KUN0083 4 GEN 0207 CHINA /KUNA-OWR4
POL-TURKEY-ERBAKAN-SENTENCE
Turkish supreme court ratifies imprisonment term for former PM
ANKARA, Dec 2 (KUNA) -- A Turkish supreme court ratified on Tuesday the
two-year-and-four-months sentence to Necmettin Erbakan, former prime minister
and the leader of the banned Welfare Party (RP), on charges of "forgery in
documents."
The Supreme Court of Appeals Criminal Department upheld the sentence
imposed on Erbakan by Ankara Heavy Criminal Court last year on charges of
falsifying documents in a high-profile trial over embezzlement of funds in his
now-defunct political party.
The judges of the Criminal Department unanimously ratified the sentence
term on the basis of Article 345 of Turkish Penal Code, saying that it was in
compliance with procedures and laws.
The Criminal Department also ratified imprisonment terms ranging between
one year and one year and two months for 69 other people who were also tried
in the same case, known to the public as "lose trillion case."
The department said that trial of Justice and Development Party (AKP)
deputies Mehmet Emin Tutan and Ali Temur in the same case could continue if
their political immunity was lifted under the Article 83 of the Constitution.
(end)
maa.bz.
KUNA 021841 Dec 03NNNN