Prosecution against Hizmet movement (4)

Gültekin Avcı, Bugün

In this piece, I continue to list illegal practices by the prosecution that aims to portray the faith-based Hizmet movement as a terrorist organization.

Illegally acquired intelligence cannot be used as evidence and grounds for prosecution. Orders by Prosecutor Serdar Coşkun [currently overseeing the investigation] targeting the Hizmet movement are not based on solid evidence but are part of an attempt to produce evidence in order to open a criminal case. Most of Prosecutor Coşkun’s orders involve illegally gathering intelligence about the Hizmet movement. This investigation is in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), particularly in terms of Article 6 on the right to a fair trial, Article 8 on privacy rights, Article 14, which bans discrimination, and Article 17 on misconduct -- as well as Article 160 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), which states what conditions must be present for a prosecutor to launch an investigation.

Published on Today's Zaman, 14 July 2014, Monday