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In this week’s recap:
Conspiracy fever in Ankara
Decision expected in Kobani trial
Erdoğan doubles down on Hamas support
Midnight Express sequel with a spin

Conspiracy is the only constant in Ankara. Known as “komplo” in Turkish, national discourse was stirring with plots Wednesday after an unexpected late-night meeting between Pres. Erdoğan, National Intelligence chief İbrahim Kalın and Justice Min. Yılmaz Tunç.
The morning after, “darbe” or “coup” was top trending on social media in Turkey as observers were told Erdoğan would share harsh statements during his speech at the AKP’s parliamentary group meeting, and maybe clear the air?
When the Turkish leader finally took the podium, he hinted at attempts to divide the governing People’s Alliance between the AKP and MHP.
"We know and see that there are those who are trying to turn an atmosphere of political softening into a harsh winter to breach the walls of the People's Alliance,” Erdoğan said. “We have faced such attempts before."
All average Erdoğan-speak if the words had not come after MHP head Bahçeli lashed out Tuesday over the suspension and later detention of four Ankara police officials tied to the case of mafia boss Ayhan Bora Kaplan.
If that sounds confusing, it is. And not just because Bahçeli bashed unidentified putschists and the Eurovision winner in the same speech. For background on the Kaplan case, see this DW explainer.
In the broader context, some analysts see recent developments as a potential AKP-MHP schism, especially in the judiciary. This comes amid growing scrutiny of MHP links to the Sinan Ateş murder indictment.
It also follows 37 rounds of voting to elect Ömer Kerkez as president of the Yargıtay (Court of Cassation), which this morning saw Muhsin Şentürk appointed by presidential decree as its chief public prosecutor.
In his previous Yargıtay role, Şentürk did not comply with the Constitutional Court’s ruling to release jailed TİP MP Can Atalay in the Gezi case.
“There are groups [in the Yargıtay] with organic and hierarchical links to various religious groups and sects, and groups that act directly in line with the ruling party and the nationalist party,” Osman Can, a law professor at Marmara University and former rapporteur-judge for Turkey’s Constitutional Court, told Turkey recap.
He added, “In my opinion, there was a deadlock due to Erdoğan's non-intervention. When Erdoğan did intervene, the deadlock was resolved immediately. This situation can also be interpreted to mean the Yargıtay is not a justice authority.”
Also this week, a shake-up in jailed philanthropist Osman Kavala’s case saw a new panel of judges reject a retrial request Wednesday.
Meanwhile, a 9th Judicial Package is in the works with a draft law on foreign influence agents that sounds like the other foreign agent bill in the news this week, but its text criminalizes most forms of international journalism and academic research, including surveys.
Can said the draft law’s vague language combined with the lack of independence in Turkey’s judiciary “poses a major problem.”
“When prosecutors initiate investigations and prosecutions, they will not face criticism for overstepping the law and arbitrary behavior,” Can told Turkey recap.
“The current penal code can meet the needs of a democratic state of law in espionage matters,” he continued. “However, especially with the transition to a presidential system and the concentration of power in one hand, the needs are changing. These needs require formal cover.”
– Diego Cupolo
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