ANKARA - Speaking at the parliamentary commission, TBB President Erinç Sağkan emphasised that problems such as "arbitrary arrests, freedom of the press and freedom of expression, non-compliance with judicial decisions and trustee practice" should be solved at the first stage. 

 

Erinç Sağkan, President of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations (TBB), spoke at the Commission on National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy. Sağkan stated that the decisions of the Constitutional Court (AYM) and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) should be implemented and that practices contrary to the law damage the confidence of the process.

 

Sağkan underlined that it is not possible to solve any problem unless the constitution in force is respected. Sağkan emphasised the importance of mutual trust in conflict resolution. "This trust building is possible by openly revealing the issues on which there is no agreement, rather than silently passing over them, and if there are necessary conditions, it is possible to declare to try to find a solution in the next step," Sağkan said. 

 

Sağkan said: "I sincerely hope that this process will contribute to peace. As the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TBB), we believe that the prerequisite for strengthening national unity is compliance with the constitution. We do not think that progress can be made without complying with the current constitution." 

 

Underlining that the prerequisite for the healthy progress and success of the process is "full compliance with the Constitution", Sağkan said: "The main reason why a significant part of the society approaches the ongoing process with caution is that while on the one hand the goal of 'democratic steps' is set for the realisation of social unity under the roof of the parliament, on the other hand, the opposite practices are carried out. Judicial activities such as unlawful detention and arrest decisions, non-implementation of some Constitutional Court and ECHR judgements, trustee practices, cancellation of diplomas and purging Atatürkist officers from the Turkish Armed Forces are listed as practices diametrically opposed to the process."

 

4 HEADING SUGGESTIONS

 

Sağkan listed the 4 topics that he thinks "must be resolved at the first stage in order for the commission to achieve its goal" as follows: "Arbitrary arrests, freedom of the press and freedom of expression, non-compliance with some judicial decisions, trustee practice."

 

Sağkan noted that "amnesty" regulations cannot be implemented through amendments to the Law on Execution of Sentences. Sağkan underlined that the regulations should be implemented with a qualified majority in the Parliament.