Gülenists wiretapped lawyer of Ergenekon trial via fabricating crime

Turkish lawyer and former Istanbul Bar Association chairman, Turgut Kazan, who advocated former Erzincan chief public prosecutor İlhan Cihaner when he was tried and acquitted in the Ergenekon trials, was allegedly wiretapped and tracked by Gülenist infiltrators in the police.

Kazan gave his testimony to Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's office on Wednesday as a suspect of an ongoing investigation into him as part of Ergenekon trial, during which he became a suspect while he was tasked with defending Cihaner. A petition was reportedly submitted to the prosecutor's office, following Kazan's visit to the then leader of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), who is the current co-chair of HDP Selahattin Demirtaş which, according to Kazan, was one of those visits he paid to the opposition parties in a bid to muster support for his defendant requesting permission to wiretap Kazan.

Gaining the permission via fabricating a crime, officers affiliated with the Gülen Movement began keeping track of Kazan along with many other lawyers, journalists and bureaucrats as part of the ill-famed Ergenekon case. Kazan's meetings were traced for 14 weeks, his phone calls were wiretapped for nine months and his e-mails were also monitored.

The initial request was made by former organized crime department chief Nazmi Ardıç and approved by Zekeriya Öz, a former prosecutor with special authorization. Both figures have alleged ties with the Gülen Movement.

"Secret tracking was carried out for months. However, there aren't any documents about it in the file. What have I done in all this period, whom did I meet with; there are no photos, no reports. There is only a report from November 2, 2011. In that report, it is understood that meeting in a restaurant with former CHP leader and journalist Altan Öymen and CHP deputy Güldal Mumcu was considered an illegal criminal activity" Kazan said.

Regarding his meeting with Demirtaş which formed the basis for his being tracked, he said "The meeting which Demirtaş and I held was not confidential. As Cihaner's lawyer, I asked for appointments from all opposition leaders with a group in the parliament. I met with Demirtaş and MHP leader Bahçeli in the Parliament, and with former CHP leader Baykal in CHP's headquarters. I presented them with a report regarding the case in Erzincan and Erzurum."

According to official records, the contents of this tracking were annihilated and the extension decisions on tracking are missing in the file, along with the conclusions of the investigation, Kazan said.

Kazan filed a complaint against the police chiefs Nazmi Ardıç and Ahmet Davulcu, and prosecutors Zekeriya Öz and Cihan Kansız for forming a criminal organization and carrying out illegal wiretapping and tracking activities against him.