Turkish army calls for cases on soldiers to return to military courts

Civil court cases on soldiers should be delivered to military courts, a top legal adviser to the military in Turkey has said after the country's highest court had overturned a law that would have allowed for the members of the army to be tried in civilian courts.

"Cases [involving military personnel] currently under [civil] prosecutors' probe or [civil] court trial need to be sent to military courts after due assessment," Gen. Hifzi Cubuklu told a press meeting on Friday.

Turkey's Constitutional Court annulled unanimously on Thursday the law which would have allowed civilian courts the power to prosecute military personnel accused of crimes against national security, constitutional violations and attempts to topple the government.

The law was passed by the Turkish parliament last July and it was challenged by Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party, which has appealed to the Constitutional Court asking for annulment.

The top court's decision might affect several ongoing investigations into alleged plots against the government.

/World Bulletin/