How much money would you accept to spend 10 months in prison?

Social media influencer Dilan Polat, who was detained in November 2023 along with her husband Engin Polat on charges of "money laundering," was released the day before yesterday.

Polat was accused of violating the laws on 'Prevention of Laundering Proceeds of Crime,' the 'Tax Procedure Law,' and the 'Regulation of Betting and Games of Chance in Football and Other Sports Competitions.'

It had been stated that 200 million lira had entered Polat's companies and that this money was transferred between companies belonging to family members, eventually being collected in a firm owned by Engin Polat called Milda Gayrimenkul, and that real estate and numerous vehicles were purchased with this money.

In the MASAK report, it was determined that a total of 225 million 743 thousand lira worth of goods purchases from three supplier companies, which were issuers of fake documents, were not real.

I jotted these down to refresh our memory of the events.

But in my beautiful country, rather than what I wrote above, the focus was on the depressed days the social media influencer spent in prison, the posts she made while in custody, and her sister's live broadcasts.

And the day before yesterday...

Social media influencer and beauty center owner Dilan Polat, who was being held at the Marmara Penal Execution Institution in Istanbul, was released following a decision for trial without detention.

And Dilan Polat began to grace the main news bulletins and newspaper headlines once again.

Polat took in the Bosphorus air...

Polat visited her husband...

Polat used the restroom...

In other words, as you can see, she left prison having added to her fame.

Of course, it is not our job to judge, but to ask what the public is curious about.

Dilan Polat's lawyers submitted a petition to the Anatolian 8th High Criminal Court objecting to her detention.

Evaluating the request, the court stated that, given the nature and character of the crimes charged against the defendant Polat, the lower and upper limits of the prison sentences prescribed by law for the charged crimes, the existing evidence in the case file, the statements taken, and the content of the report prepared by MASAK, there is a possibility that the nature of the charged crimes could change in favor of the defendant.

Why could the investigation not be concluded and the prosecution phase reached in such a short time as ten months?

In this case, how did the possibility of the nature of the charged crimes changing in favor of the defendant arise?

For instance, is there no possibility that this young lady might flee abroad?

Or is there a possibility that she is more innocent than citizens who express their opinions on social media or make political criticisms in street interviews?

According to the report of the state's official institution, the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), she is accused of forgery. According to the statements of Polat's lawyer, in addition to this charge, there is another file against Polat for the crime of reducing the tax base.

The biggest dream of young people in the country is no longer to study and become a doctor or an engineer.

The goal of most is to become a social media influencer and gain fame and money the easy way.

Now I ask, if one can get out from behind iron bars in ten months, who would take crimes like betting, money laundering, tax evasion, and irregularities seriously?

Do you think crime lords who want to launder their dirty money won't find new influencers and ask these kids, "How much money would you risk taking a 10-month prison sentence for?"