Turkish MPs vote against taking ex-ministers to court

The majority of Turkish lawmakers have voted against taking four former ministers to the Supreme Council court over corruption allegations dating back to 2013.

On Tuesday, the Turkish parliament voted against putting former Minister of Economy Zafer Caglayan, former Minister of Interior Affairs Muammer Guler, former European Union Affairs Minister Egemen Bagis, and ex-Environment Minister Erdogan Bayraktar on trial.

The parliament, which is dominated by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), made the decision after reviewing a report on the case. However, a number of AKP lawmakers voted for sending the ministers to court.

The four former ministers, all close allies of former Prime Minister and current President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, faced accusations of bribery and influence peddling. All of the ministers resigned from their positions in the wake of an investigation into the bribery allegations.

Erdogan has claimed that his former ally the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen was behind the scandal.

Turkish prosecutors have already dropped a criminal case against 53 people thought to have been involved in the scandal, including sons of former ministers.

On December 17, 2013, dozens of government officials and prominent businesspersons close to Erdogan were arrested on graft charges.

Days later, the Turkish leader announced a major cabinet reshuffle, replacing 10 ministers, including the economy, interior, and environment ministers, who had resigned from their posts after their sons were arrested in the scandal.