In a blistering statement over his dismissal from the top post at BİLGEM, a critical department within TÜBİTAK that prepares expert reports for court cases and state agencies, Hasan Palaz said he was forced to make changes on a scientific report that was prepared as part of a criminal investigation into the installment of bugging devices at Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's office in Parliament and his home in 2012...In a stern warning, he said the government's interference in TÜBİTAK reports and politicians' meddling in scientific inquiries would be suicide for the science world.
The discovery of the bugging devices led to an outcry and fueled a debate over who is responsible for monitoring and bugging the prime minister's office. (more)
Note: Although this translated news story makes it sound as if he did make the change, a careful reading of the whole story indicates he did not, hence his dismissal.
From the other side of the fence in Turkey today...
Turkey - Battling a corruption scandal, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan is seeking broader powers for his intelligence agency, including more scope for eavesdropping and legal immunity for its top agent, according to a draft law seen by Reuters. (more)
UPDATE: (2/22/14) - Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that two suspects believed to be involved in a bugging scandal have fled the country. (more)
