Justice Ministry Launches Investigation Against Yuksel

The justice Ministry's Inspection Committee launched an investigation on Thursday against Ankara State Security Court (DGM) Chief Public Prosecutor Nuh Mete Yuksel, following an order to that effect from Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk. Inspectors are due to make an inquiry into some past cases conducted by Yuksel.

"The Justice Ministry is trying to investigate all the allegations against the judiciary. Our aim in doing this is to remove all doubts that might be cast on the judiciary," Turk told the press in Ankara.

Turk declined to comment when he was asked whether the investigation had anything to do with the Fethullah Gülen case conducted by Yuksel. "It is inappropriate to make any comment on an ongoing investigation," he said.

Though not confirmed by Turk, there are reports that the investigation had been launched in connection with DGM charges initiated against the religious leader Fethullah Gülen and Greater Ankara Municipality Mayor Melih Gökçek by Yuksel.

Responding to reporters' questions, Yaksel said that it was normal for ministry inspectors to investigate an allegation. "There is an allegation, and it is the inspectors' duty to see whether it is true or not," and said the DGM prosecutor.

Yuksel said that he did not know what the allegation was and added that there was a low probability that the allegation was regarding the ongoing Egebank case which he was conducting. Former President Suleyman Demirel's nephew Yahya Murat Demirel is the main suspect in the Egebank case, which concerns an irregularity of tens of millions of dollars.

"I do not think I have made a mistake. I have done nothing I cannot account for," said Yuksel. 2000-06-10 00:00:00