Turkish opposition condemns Intel bill

The main opposition vowed yesterday to ask the Constitutional Court to scrap a bill intended to shield intelligence officials from prosecution, while the government mulled changes in the draft to narrow its scope, Hurriyet Daily News reports.
“If the bill is signed into law, we will naturally go to the Constitutional Court. The bill is a great risk to democracy. It would plunge the state into illegality,” Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said on NTV television.
Stepping back in the face of objection, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) was considering revisions to the wording of the bill, as well as the scope of protection it would provide. Changes are likely to indicate that those who have protection while carrying out “special tasks” would be not be just anybody, but “public officials assigned to certain non-operational duties,” Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ said.