Türkeş’s 80-year-old lawyer rebelled against his pension... Sentenced to 1 year in prison for 'insulting' Erdoğan and Bahçeli...

Attorney Şevket Can Özbay was a much-talked-about figure of an era.

One of the founders of the MHP... He served as the lawyer for both Alparslan Türkeş and the executed idealists during the September 12 period... He also took on the role of lawyer for the families of martyrs and veterans while the terrorist leader was being tried in Imralı.

In short, he is a lawyer with half a century of experience. He is now 80 years old and continues to practice law.

However, yesterday he attended a hearing in Ankara not to practice law, but as a defendant.

On a familiar, well-known, and customary charge: "insulting" President Erdoğan and, along with him, MHP Leader Devlet Bahçeli.

''YOU WILL GET SUCH A SLAP FROM THE RETIREES''

The story of the case is as follows:

When Attorney Özbay saw that 11 thousand 852 liras had been deposited into his account as a pension on December 30, 2024, he reminded Erdoğan and Bahçeli on his Facebook account that they always talk about the Ottoman Empire, and then posted: "You will get such a slap from the retirees that the Ottoman slap will seem like a caress on your cheek compared to it. You who fear neither God nor man, you h........ . Should I pay my rent with my one-month pension, or pay for electricity, water, telephone, and natural gas? What should I eat and drink? May God damn you 11 thousand 852 times."

Following the detection of this post by the virtual patrol, a criminal complaint was filed. With the indictment prepared against him, it was requested that he be sentenced to prison at the maximum limit for the crimes of "insulting the President and a public official due to their public duty."

The first hearing of the case was held on December 24, and in this first session, the prosecutor presented his opinion on the merits and requested that Attorney Özbay be punished.

THE PROSECUTOR WITHOUT A ROBE

Yesterday, after Attorney Özbay made his defense against the opinion on the merits, the verdict was delivered.

Let us share some notes before Özbay's defense and the verdict.

While waiting for the hearing, Attorney Özbay recounted a memory as a reference from the September 12 period to the present, emphasizing that he had sent a letter to Kenan Evren and the council members saying, "I doubt your blood. You will be held accountable," and that while everyone expected him to be detained half an hour later, nothing happened.

When we entered the courtroom, the judge was sitting on the bench, and someone in a suit was walking around standing up with a mobile phone in his hand. The prosecutor's seat was empty.

When the judge asked, "The prosecution is asked. Do you reiterate your opinion?" it was understood that the person in the suit standing by the window was the prosecutor. The prosecutor, who said "I reiterate" without taking his seat, without wearing his robe, and while yawning, spent the entire hearing in this state, sometimes standing in front of the window with his hands in his pockets watching outside, and sometimes leaning his arms on the bench and looking at his mobile phone.

IF BAHÇELİ WERE ASKED

Both the Presidential lawyer attending the hearing and Bahçeli's lawyer, in the excuse petition they sent, stated that they agreed with the opinion and requested that Attorney Özbay be punished. Then, Attorney Özbay, whose defense was taken, said the following:

"I do not agree with the opinion. I have not accepted the accusations, and I will not. I am a 50-year legal professional. My statements are not directed at the Presidential office, but at the chairmen of two political parties. One is the lightbulb, the other is the head of the MHP, which I founded. These are political personalities. I am already his oldest friend; if Bahçeli were asked, he would not be a plaintiff. The pension is far below the hunger threshold; I am rebelling against this. Everyone would. Anywhere in the world, whoever fell into my situation, this would happen. They have no right to put me in this situation. My words are harsh criticism. Is there a word said to the Presidential office? As someone who has discussed and defended Turkey's rights with Süleyman Demirel, Osman Bölükbaşı, İsmet İnönü, and Zhivkov, I cannot bring myself to be here. I have been in politics for 68 years; politicians should face even insults directed at them with tolerance. I am 80 years old, I have a tumor in my brain, a stent in my heart, a herniated disc in my back, and I am still running around to be able to put my young child through university. The last pension deposited into my account was 17 thousand liras. What should I do with this? What would you, the judge or the prosecutor who wants me punished, do with this? Millions of retirees are in this situation, they should come to their senses a little. The idea of Turkish nationalism is being tried here. This was also done on September 12. I am a Turk, I am a Turkish nationalist. I have no problem with either Erdoğan or Bahçeli. My rebellion is against politics bringing us to this state. And rebelling is my right as a human being and a legal professional. I have believed in Turkish law and impartial judges. It is not important that you punish me, but it should not have been like this. You (Bahçeli) are my friend, look at the situation millions of retirees have been pushed into."

Upon these words, the Judge intervened, saying, "If the defense is complete, everyone is waiting," and continued as follows:

"We are not discussing the country's agenda or the economy; we are conducting a trial."

Attorney Özbay, after stating that he came to the hearing in matching colors of suit and tie "to look cute," ended his defense by saying, "But I guess I still won't be able to look cute to you," to which the Judge replied, "We are doing our job."

''STATUS FOR APO, LAWSUIT FOR ME''

One of Özbay's lawyers, Gizem Karataş, pointed out that the post that was the subject of the accusation was detected through the virtual patrol application, whereas the Constitutional Court had characterized this regulation in the Law on Police Duties and Powers as "unlawful evidence" and canceled it, therefore the trial was conducted based on evidence obtained unlawfully.

Özbay's other lawyer, Nalan Irmak İlze, stated that the criticisms were directed at the chairmen of political parties and spoke as follows:

"When the late Süleyman Demirel was Prime Minister, when he was insulted, his lawyer Yaşar Topçu said they would file a lawsuit immediately. However, Demirel said, 'Even if we are Prime Ministers, we are political leaders. The public must criticize us so that we can improve ourselves,' and did not allow a lawsuit to be filed. It is not right to take everything said to court."

Attorney Özbay, as his final word, said; "I served as the lawyer for the families of martyrs and veterans in the Öcalan case. I survived countless assassination attempts by the PKK by miracles. Even if it were my own father's son who wanted hope rights and status for Apo, I would stand against him. I am not dead. The Turkish Nation is not dead. Two people who did not spare the harshest insults to each other in the past are now plaintiffs against me."

After the defenses were completed, the Judge decided that Attorney Şevket Can Özbay be sentenced to 1 year, 2 months, and 17 days in prison for insulting Erdoğan and Bahçeli "within the framework of current jurisprudence" and that the announcement of the verdict be deferred.