As the country turns the page on the past era, the issue of thousands of court rulings issued by criminal courts (both financial and ordinary) that were based entirely on fabricated reports in the basements of security branches, most notably the infamous Branch 248, resurfaces.
The case of a Syrian engineer (a Christian) highlights the depth of the tragedy. His fundamental ideological differences did not prevent investigators from forcing him to sign blank papers containing fabricated confessions about his alleged ties to ISIS.
These confessions, extracted under torture and intimidation, were later presented as "irrefutable evidence" before the Financial Criminal Court in Homs, disregarding all legal arguments, including official denials issued by the prosecution itself.
Supreme Directives
The problem is not limited to the fabrication of reports, but extends to the paralysis of the judicial system at that time. Victims reveal the existence of verbal and written "directives" from the Minister of Justice in the former regime prohibiting appeals or cassation in cases deemed "security-related," even those heard in civil courts.
This denial of due process has transformed criminal judgments into quintessential instruments of political punishment.
The Obstacle of Outdated Laws
Despite the liberation, victims today face a wall of "legal stagnation." Current procedures before the Judicial Inspection Authority are still governed by legal texts established by the previous regime, making retrials or rehabilitation complex unless a special legislative decree is issued addressing "judgments based on security reports" from the former era.
Calls for a "Judicial Revolution"
Those affected, including engineers, lawyers, and employees whose freedoms and assets were unjustly confiscated through fines, are appealing to the responsible authorities and the Judicial Inspection Authority for:
- The formation of an independent judicial committee to review all criminal judgments based solely on reports from security branches without any material (technical or biological) evidence.
- Considering the "blank fingerprint" as a form of material forgery that necessitates the immediate annulment of the ruling.
- Activating the role of judicial oversight to review the backlog of complaints that disregard the specificities of the transitional phase.
The continued enforcement of these "legally invalid" rulings not only perpetuates injustice for the victims but also represents the continuation of the spirit of the fallen regime within the new judiciary.
Anadolu Agency
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