General Staff under fire for interfering in ongoing case with statement on coup http://www.todayszaman.com/news-240354-general-staff-under-fire-for-interfering-in-ongoing-case-with-statement-on-coup.html

Turkey's jurists and intellectuals have slammed an online statement by the General Staff which harshly criticizes an earlier court decision to reject appeals for the release of suspects in the Sledgehammer coup case, saying the military has attempted to interfere in the independence of the judiciary with this statement. “The General Staff has no right to make such a statement. That statement has come in contradiction with principles of the law. Judicial bodies should do what falls on them,” said Professor Mehmet Altan, a columnist for the Star daily, in televised remarks on Wednesday.In its statement, the General Staff said it was unable to understand why suspects in the Sledgehammer case are still being kept in prison despite appeals for their release. 

Dozens of retired and active duty members of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) are currently under arrest on charges of working to overthrow the government and destroy Parliament. On Tuesday, the İstanbul 11th High Criminal Court rejected appeals from the lawyers of many Sledgehammer suspects with a majority of votes. The court said the suspects may destroy evidence in the Sledgehammer case or flee the country if they are released from prison.Sledgehammer is an alleged coup plan suspected to have been drafted in 2003 during a military seminar. It included plans to crash jets and bomb large mosques at prayer time to undermine the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) with the hope of eventually overthrowing it.