Turkey: Erdogan says he won't 'accept' or 'respect' court decision to free journalists

[webfact]

Turkey: Erdogan says he won't 'accept' or 'respect' court decision to free journalists



"I don't have to accept it, let me be clear about that. I don't agree with the decision and I don't respect it."

ANKARA: -- The controversial case of two Turkish journalists, who were freed from detention on Friday, has again provoked the wrath of president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Can Dundar and Erdem Gul are facing espionage charges over their reporting for the opposition newspaper Cumhuriyet. They were arrested in November.

On Thursday, Turkey’s Constitutional Court ruled that their detention was “not lawful” and had violated their rights.

They were then freed pending their trial in March.

Erdogan said: “I can only remain silent over the decision the Constitutional Court made.

“But I don’t have to accept it, let me be clear about that. I don’t agree with the decision and I don’t respect it.”

Dundar and Gul were charged with aiding a terrorist organisation and publishing material that violated state security. Cumhuriyet published reporting and videos, which the paper said showed Turkish intelligence officials transporting weapons to Syria in 2014.


-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-02-29

[than]

Turkey a great democracy in western eyes.....

[NongKhaiKid]

Will not accepting or respecting be angry words or will they translate into something more sinister.

Hardly the attitude of a responsible national leader yet this is the man and nation that Merkel wants fast tracked into EU membership.

[Steely Dan]

Megalomaniacs can't accept anyone defying them. Better to kill those responsible or dismantle the offending institutions than that.

[PattayaAl]

I am the law

[landslide]

What is the difference between Erdogan and a dictator? Nothing.

[zyphodb]

& this is the guy going head to head with Putin? look out world, World War 3 is coming...

[peterb17]

And this country is pushing for EU membership!

[spidermike007]

Erdogan has become a megalomaniacal super freak. He is a comical figure. He is a despot in the mold of Hun Sen, and Than Shwe, in our own neighborhood. Does anybody take anything this goon says seriously? He is an embarrassment to his people. A tiny man, with an even smaller heart and mind. He has been in power too long. He needs to be removed, and replaced by a person who is competent, and reasonable. He is a worm. He is a desperate man, that seems to be capable of saying or doing anything at this point in time. What a loser.

[Srikcir]

"I don't have to accept it, let me be clear about that. I don't agree with the decision and I don't respect it."

People are free to publicize their personal opinion in a democracy and that's what Erdogan has done -freedom of expression.

But the reporters' freedom went unopposed by Erdogan. So in effect he has respected the court's decision. Seems Erdogan is playing to his supporters.

[Hammock]

More and more people in Turkey are getting upset with him besides Kurds. The effect of Russian sanctions will be felt harder and harder.

[Baerboxer]

Will not accepting or respecting be angry words or will they translate into something more sinister.

Hardly the attitude of a responsible national leader yet this is the man and nation that Merkel wants fast tracked into EU membership.

You can bet former communist youth leader and Stassi spy Merkel wishes she could refuse to accept and even overrule court decisions she doesn't like too.

Oh, for the good old DDR.

[Baerboxer]

Erdogan has become a megalomaniacal super freak. He is a comical figure. He is a despot in the mold of Hun Sen, and Than Shwe, in our own neighborhood. Does anybody take anything this goon says seriously? He is an embarrassment to his people. A tiny man, with an even smaller heart and mind. He has been in power too long. He needs to be removed, and replaced by a person who is competent, and reasonable. He is a worm. He is a desperate man, that seems to be capable of saying or doing anything at this point in time. What a loser.

He is a very dangerous man about as funny as any tyrannical dictator which is the direction he's heading.

Read up on his family and their activities and you'll see just how close he is to those in our neighborhood in the way he and his family act.

But, hey, he's in NATO, will soon be in the EU, screwed the EU leadership in migrant negotiations, openly invades Syria and Iraq to kill Kurds and does as he pleases. It's o k thought, he was democratically elected.

[pitrevie]

Yep it sure is dreadful when those in the field of politics or government servikce will not accept the decision made by the courts, reminds me of someone else but for the moment I cant quite think where that is.

Edited February 29, 2016 by pitrevie

[SgtRock]

I see a rogue drone strike coming up.

[Grouse]

Will not accepting or respecting be angry words or will they translate into something more sinister.

Hardly the attitude of a responsible national leader yet this is the man and nation that Merkel wants fast tracked into EU membership.

You can bet former communist youth leader and Stassi spy Merkel wishes she could refuse to accept and even overrule court decisions she doesn't like too.

Oh, for the good old DDR.

What the hell has this to do with Angela Merkel?

[Grouse]

Bring back Ataturk and get back to secularism

Edited February 29, 2016 by Grouse

[Ulic]

By the way, we still want to be fast tracked for EU membership, and visa free travel

throughout the EU.

[Galactus]

freak of nature!

total tyrant!

[Redline]

Best they leave the country. They are safer in Syria.