Baykal: "In democratic societies, leading figures can't be detained without solid evidence"

Commenting on this week's detentions as part of the Ergenekon probe, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday said, "These detentions have been going on for over a year. The waves of detentions are still surging. It's quite hard to see this as the natural course of justice." He added, "In democratic countries, honorable, well-known, prominent figures can't be detained without presenting solid evidence." Accusing the government of using its power for political ends, Baykal warned, "In the end, those who are responsible for the current developments will suffer the consequences of what they have done." Saying that Turkey stands at a crossroads, he added the CHP will closely follow developments on the detentions and bring the issue to Parliament if need be.