Sahin: Everyone should respect judicial independence

Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin yesterday stressed the importance of respecting the judiciary's independence in the wake of criticisms of the judicial system made by Judges and Prosecutors Association (YARSAV) head Omer Faruk Eminagaoglu, following recent detentions and arrests under the Ergenekon probe. "Making rulings is the work of the independent judiciary. Neither I nor any other person or institution can interfere with the work of the judiciary," Sahin said. Eminagaoglu had accused the government of trying to make Turkey into a police state, claiming that the police had assumed the role of prosecutors and judges in the Ergenekon probe. In response, Sahin called on Eminagaoglu to stop making "reckless" statements raising doubts about the impartiality of the judiciary. Saying that YARSAV doesn't represent the judicial world, Sahin accused the group of acting like a political party. In related news, Istanbul Chief Prosecutor Aykut Cengiz was in Ankara yesterday to speak with Sahin. Asked whether he came to Ankara to discuss an alleged investigation of the Ergenekon prosecutors, Cengiz said his visit was an ordinary one to discuss problems of the courts in Istanbul. Justice Minister Sahin also dismissed the claims. In other news, Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Justice Hasan Gerceker said that the judicial process of the Ergenekon probe was continuing, adding that the judiciary can solve all its problems by itself. Stressing that commenting on the probe could damage the top court's impartiality, he said the judiciary has to act in line with the law.