Following the Constitutional Court’s rights violation ruling on the “Peace Declaration” signatory academics, İzmir Serious Crime Court No 13 has ordered the acquittal of Ahmet Kardam who had lent his support by signing the peace declaration. Hearing the case on the basis of the file without holding a hearing, the court referred to the Constitutional Court’s rights violation ruling in its reasoned decision.
Arif Ali Cangı, attorney of Ahmet Kardam, the first of the solidarity signatories to be acquitted since the Constitutional Court’s violation ruling, assessed the decision for Serkan Alan of Gazete Duvar. Noting the courts’ decisions had been awaited with bated breath given the controversy over the Constitutional Court ruling, Cangı said, “İzmir Serious Crime Court No 13 was the first to adopt its position. It ordered acquittal without convening a hearing citing the Constitutional Court ruling as grounds. Courts can and should rule along these lines. We expect decisions to be passed along these lines.” Commenting, “Controversy is being waged over the Constitutional Court ruling saying, ‘A ruling was passed on an individual application,’” Cangı continued as follows:
“It is a ruling passed on an individual application, but it covers all those prosecuted for the same offence. Prosecutors must rule that there are no grounds for prosecution with regard to those against whom investigations have been launched for having signed the ‘We Will not Be Party to this Crime’ declaration. This is a requirement of the rule of law system. I consider the decision passed to be correct.” (EVRENSEL DAILY)
Bülent Falakaoğlu
Hakkı Özdal
