Court holds up decision in Telecom trials

In the trial of Oğuz Tezmen, the former Transportation Minister, Veli Bettemir, the former General Manager of the Postal Services, Cengiz Bulut, the General Manager of the Turkish Telekom and 31 other defendants accused for corruption charges and improper conduct in acquiring wealth, the court decision to prohobit them from travelling abroad and seizure of their property will remain in effect.

In the first session of the 6.th Tribunal Criminal Court, out of 34 defendants 32 were present as they submitted written testimonies to the defense as well as their demands. Tezmen pleaded to the court, "I am a bureaucrat who worked at NATO and other institutions abroad. They claimed I had a house in Monaco. I could have had a house abroad bu I do not. Before the public my prestige as well as that of my family has been bruised," as he demanded that he be acquited for the charges he said he did not commit.
Bettemir and Bulut stated that they never acquired any wealth improperly and also demanded their acquital.
The court decided that Haber - Sen and Kamu - Sen could not participate in the proceedings as observers as it also held up its earlier decision that the defendants cannot travel abroad and that their wealth will be under seizure during the period of the trial.
The Court postponed the session to hear out the defendants on an individual basis.