Ex-President Captive Again

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30093, 29 March 1963, Page 11

Ex-President Captive Again

(N.Z. Press Association— Copyright) ANKARA, March 28. In a move to stem Turkey’s political crisis the Government early today revoked the parole of former President Celal Bayar and ordered him confined to a hospital, the Associated Press reported. The decision to pick up Bayar, aged 79, who was released from prison only last Friday, was announced by the Public Prosecutor.

The Government was obviously concerned over the wave of riots and demonstrations that followed Bayar’s release from prison, the news agency said. The Prime Minister (Mr Ismet Inotiu) and his Cabinet conferred until 3.45 a.m. this morning. It then issued a communique outlining recent events and warning people to remain calm and retrain from further violence. Mr Inonu’s shaky coalition Government apparently again won the support of the armed forces which have been critical or the political situation in recent months A.P. said. Earlier today, high-ranking officials whisked Bayer off to an Ankara hospital for a physical examination. Bayar was picked up at his home after midnight by the Ankara police chief, the gendarme commander, the city’s first section (political) director and two gendarme colonels. They immediately took him to the Numune State Hospital. First reports circulating in Ankara and Istanbul—both tense over recurring demonstrations and riots —said the former President had been kidnapped. This was promptly denied by Government sources.

Bayar, who was sent to prison for life after the 1960 army coup d’etat, had been released for six months for

health reasons. He is reported to be suffering from various ailments, including high blood pressure and hardening of the arteries. But when he returned to a hero’s welcome in Ankara on Saturday, Bayar told a press conference he was feeling fine. He then was reported to have criticised the revolution and a special tribunal which sent him to prison. Criticism of either is against the law. Thousands of students demonstrated against Bayar throughout Turkey in the four days of unrest that followed his release.