Justice to come first in reforms

Apparently, the meeting between Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu and main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal K?l?çdaro?lu about the new constitution went positively, in principle. 

The prime minister brought up the presidential system, which is a matter of dispute, but seemingly he was not persistent. It is a pleasing development that the two parties agreed on the elimination of the Sept. 12, 1980, coup laws which are against fundamental rights and freedoms, the wrongness in arresting journalists and the EU harmonization laws. 

This is the first step; we have a long way in front of us with ups and downs. I want to draw attention to the justice problem as a priority.    

Here in our country, justice was troublesome in every era; it could never become impartial and independent, it only changed hands. "In harmony with the executive body" is a phrase which sums up today's problems with justice. When you look at it, the government makes a political accusation, and following this, the justice writes an indictment accordingly.

One example was during the Gezi Park incidents, when the government said a "coup attempt" was made, and then the football fan club Çar?? was taken to court facing "aggravated life imprisonment" on charges of an "attempted coup." 

I had written, at that time, "I cannot say for sure what the court would decide because of judicial problems in the country but courts of last resort such as the Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights would find this 'extreme' and will rule this is not a coup attempt. If that does not happen so, I will write in this column that I have not actually studied law. (Sept. 10, 2014.)

Well, now, all of them have been acquitted.