The Turkish president, Suleyman Demirel, has vetoed a controversial amnesty law which would have released more then twenty-thousand prisoners from the country's overcrowded jails.

The law, which was passed by Parliament on Saturday, caused a public outcry when critics complained it would benefit thousands of murderers, policemen found guilty of torture, and bureaucrats sentenced for abuse of power.

Correspondents say that there's also been strong criticism of parliament for passing the bill at a time when attention is focussed on dealing with the aftermath of the earthquake. The authorities say more than fourteen thousand people have died as a result of the earthquake.

Many more are still unaccounted for.