Criminal investigation launched against Turkish PM

ArmRadio.am
27.03.2007 17:59

A criminal investigation was launched yesterday against the Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an for referring to the jailed
leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) as
`Sayın’ in Turkish, a word that denotes respect in Turkish
similar to the way `Sir’ does in English, the Turkish Daily News
reports.

The acting Ankara Chief Prosecutor Hikmet Ã-nen opened an
investigation into whether or not Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
ErdoÄ?an had praised Abdullah Ã-calan by saying "Sayın
Ã-calan." The prime minister and other members of Parliament have
legal immunity that protects them from prosecution and Parliament
would need to approve any further legal steps against Erdogan.

The prosecutor has asked for the voice recordings of ErdoÄ?an’s
interview. According to the earlier press reports, during the
interview, ErdoÄ?an said, ` Mr. Ã-calan is not jailed because
of his thoughts but because of his killings. I’ve been jailed for
four months because of my thoughts, we have great differences.’

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress