Draft law seeks to expel military members for political involvement

Fuente:

Today's Zaman

Fecha de publicación:

20 Dic 2012

The draft of a law on the disciplinary rules of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) makes involvement by members of the military in political or ideologically motivated activities grounds for their expulsion from the military, the Yeni Şafak daily reported on Thursday.

According to the bill, which has been submitted to the Parliament Speaker's Office, military members who are involved in political or ideologically motivated activities will be expelled from the military.

The legislation was proposed to Parliament by the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government.

If it comes into effect, the law will affect the activities of military officers, noncommissioned officers, gendarmes, privates and students of military schools.

The TSK has a tradition of meddling in politics, a practice through which it has toppled several democratically elected governments throughout the history of the Turkish Republic.

Dozens of active duty and retired military officers are currently standing trial on charges of plotting a coup to topple the government.

The draft law also opens the decisions of the Supreme Military Council (YAŞ) to judicial review. Many military officers in the past were expelled from the TSK due to their religious observance. They were accused of violating disciplinary rules and were unable to challenge YAŞ decisions in court because the decisions were closed to judicial review.

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