"Turkish court allows assassination case to be merged with coup plot prosecution
Amelia Mathias at 8:18 AM ET
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[JURIST] Turkey's Eleventh Criminal Court in Ankara on Monday granted permission for a case involving the 2006 killing of a senior judge by lawyer Alparslan Aslan to be merged with a larger case against alleged Ergenekon [BBC backgrounder] coup leaders. Ergenekon is accused of planning to destabilize the country's Justice and Development Party (AKP) [official website, in Turkish] led government in an effort to incite a military coup. The court found that the judge's killing could have been part [UPI report] of the group's efforts [Hurriyet Daily News report], which also included the creation of a supposed 'hit list' of prominent Turkish figures, bombings at the daily newspaper Cumhuriyet [media website, in Turkish], and the assassination of the journalist Hrant Dink. In order for the cases to be merged, the Thirteenth Criminal Court, which is hearing the Ergenekon case, must also approve the move. The Supreme Court had previously permitted the two cases to be joined, and if they are, they will be tried in Istanbul."
More:JURIST - Paper Chase: Turkish court allows assassination case to be merged with coup plot prosecution
