Retired military judge Col. Hasan Tüysüzoğlu joined a group of former Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) members who have lent support to the 29-article reform package.

He said the package will bring the Turkish military and judiciary to the standard of first-class democracies.

Uneasy about the opposition to the package, he said: “It is impossible to understand the reactions to the package. We used to know that the TSK was against such reforms, but now it turns out that the opposition is made through the judiciary.”

Tüysüzoğlu also said the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) was making direct interventions into the investigation into Ergenekon, a shadowy crime network which has alleged links within the state and is suspected of plotting to topple the government, because it was afraid of losing its hegemony.

The HSYK has replaced several judges and prosecutors in various coup probes and has drawn the ire of many circles who say the institution was preventing a fair trial.

Tüysüzoğlu served the TSK for 25 years and worked for martial law courts and the now-closed State Security Court (DGM).

After retiring from the military in 1997, he is now working as a lawyer.

Commenting on the government’s reform package, Tüysüzoğlu said the Turkish judiciary is absolutely in need of reform.

With regard to an amendment that would pave the way for the trial of members of the military in civilian courts in peacetime, he said the military courts function under the chain of command. “Thanks to this amendment, members of the military will know that the orders of the commanders will not work when cases are seen at civilian courts. So, they will think twice before committing an offense,” he said

Emre Soncan - Today’s Zaman, April 7, 2010