Adnan Oktar’s ‘current structure’ trial! Defendants respond to ‘membership in a criminal organization’ allegations

The trial regarding the 20-defendant ‘current structure’ of the armed criminal organization led by Adnan Oktar continued, with allegations that he has been maintaining organizational activities from prison, particularly through lawyers, to keep the organization alive and aiming to recruit new members to replace those who have been exposed.

The hearing, held at the Istanbul 1st High Criminal Court, was not attended by the imprisoned defendant Adnan Oktar.

Five imprisoned and five non-imprisoned defendants were present at the hearing along with their lawyers.

'I LOVE ADNAN OKTAR VERY MUCH'

In her defense at the hearing, defendant Meltem Daban said, "Our living together and our desire to never be apart should be evaluated as the natural flow of life. There has not been a single piece of concrete evidence against us for 6 years. I love Adnan Oktar very much because his soul and heart are so pure. It is impossible for a person whose soul has once made contact with Adnan Bey to give him up."

'SPOTLESS AND EDUCATED'

In her defense, one of the imprisoned defendants, Ferhunde Eda Babuna, stated, "While your court should have issued a decision of lack of jurisdiction, it is holding the file in a manner contrary to the law. What crime have I committed with the charge of membership in a criminal organization? I have been imprisoned for nearly 4 years based on abstract evidence. We are a community with a clean criminal record, educated, knowledgeable, and possessing national consciousness. It has still not been proven what crime we came together to commit. Despite all investigations, not a single criminal element was found in our homes.

My whole family is in prison. Adnan Bey is struggling with tremendous pressure and persecution. There is only love, respect, and friendship here. Adnan Bey is not my teacher, sheikh, or master; he is a friend I love. The only thing I cannot overcome is the love I feel for Adnan Oktar," she said.

HEARING TO CONTINUE TOMORROW

Announcing its interim decision, the court adjourned the hearing until tomorrow to receive the defenses of the defendants' lawyers.

FROM THE INDICTMENT

In the indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, 20 people, including Adnan Oktar, were listed as ‘suspects’. The indictment stated that Adnan Oktar, the leader of the armed criminal organization, has been maintaining organizational activities from prison, particularly through lawyers, to keep the organization alive, and that he also aims to recruit new members to replace those who have been exposed.

The prepared indictment noted that suspect Adnan Oktar is recognized as the leader of an armed criminal organization by court decisions and is in prison, but that he has continued his organizational activities during his time in prison, particularly trying to keep the organization alive through his lawyers and other organization leaders Meltem Daban and Ferhunde Eda Babuna, ensuring his instructions are spread outside the prison, and while doing so, engaging in activities to create public opinion and gain political lobby support regarding the trial being a setup, especially through other organization leaders.

In this context, the indictment states that suspect Oktar communicated with organization members who were convicted in the main case and are in prison via letters and lawyers, that the suspect tried to prevent organization members who wanted to become effective remorsefuls, that he tried to maintain his influence over organization members inside and outside, and that he gave instructions for organization members who are outside, whether processed or not, to stay together.

Furthermore, the prepared indictment noted that during his time in prison, suspect Oktar met with approximately 200 lawyers in a short period of 15 days, conducting meetings under the guise of legal aid in a manner inconsistent with the normal flow, that he aimed to recruit members to the organization in these meetings, and that he tried to direct organizational attitudes and behaviors outside the prison by taking advantage of the legal profession, which is free to enter and exit the prison within legal limits, and that as a result of this determination, restrictions were placed on the suspect's lawyer meetings.

The prepared indictment requested that suspects Adnan Oktar, Meltem Daban, and Ferhunde Eda Babuna be sentenced to 5 to 12 years in prison each for the crime of ‘establishing an organization for the purpose of committing crimes’, and also, in accordance with the relevant article of the Turkish Penal Code, that they be punished as perpetrators for all crimes committed by organization members within the framework of the organization's activities.

In this context, it was requested that the suspects be sentenced to a total of 15.5 to 43.5 years in prison each, including 10.5 to 31.5 years in prison for the crime of ‘making propaganda for the organization or its purpose’.

In the indictment, it was requested that the other 17 suspects be sentenced to varying prison terms for crimes such as ‘being a member of an organization established for the purpose of committing crimes’, ‘aiding the organization’, and ‘making propaganda for the organization or its purpose’.