Turkey approves reduced penalties for fixing

AP, Saturday 10 Dec 2011

Turkey’s Parliament has approved a sharp reduction in prison terms for match-fixing, a move that will lead to lighter sentences for suspects in a recent football rigging scandal

The Parliament voted early Saturday for the new reduced term of a maximum three years in prison. Parliament first voted for the changes earlier this month, only eight months after it approved sentences of up to 12 years for anyone convicted of rigging games.

President Abdullah Gul vetoed the vote on the grounds that it was giving “the impression of a special arrangement” to save suspects in the recent match-fixing scandal, including Fenerbahce President Aziz Yildirim.

The amendments were passed hours after prosecutors announced details of charges against 93 suspects in an indictment.

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