First day of the Aziz İhsan Aktaş criminal organization trial: Secret witnesses to be heard

The trial of 200 people included in the indictment prepared as part of the criminal organization investigation into Aziz İhsan Aktaş begins today. Among the 200 people are a total of 7 mayors, including 6 suspended CHP mayors.

The Istanbul 1st High Criminal Court, considering the scope of the file, the large number of defendants, and security reasons, decided that the hearings would be held every day at 10:00 AM between January 27 and February 20 in Hall No. 1 at Silivri Prison.

The court has allocated a quota of 25 people for members of the press who wish to follow the hearing. Other journalists will be able to follow the process from a separate area where the broadcast will be relayed. In addition, it is forbidden to bring phones and recording devices into the hall, and it was stated that each defendant can be represented by a maximum of three lawyers.

AKTAŞ IS NOT UNDER ARREST

The indictment demands a prison sentence ranging from 187 to 450 years for Aziz İhsan Aktaş, who is being tried without arrest, and the confiscation of assets alleged to have been obtained from the crime.

Prison sentences ranging from 5 to 15 years are requested for suspended Avcılar Mayor Utku Caner Çaykara, 3 to 9 years for Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer, and 4 to 12 years for Seyhan Mayor Oya Tekin, Ceyhan Mayor Kadir Aydar, Adana Metropolitan Mayor Zeydan Karalar, and Adıyaman Mayor Abdurrahman Tutdere, who returned to his post after his judicial control was lifted.

A prison sentence ranging from 133 to 337 years and the confiscation of assets alleged to have been obtained from the crime are also requested for Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat.

THE HEARING WILL START AT 10:00 AM

The case will begin today at 10:00 AM in the large hearing hall located at the Marmara Closed Prison Complex in Silivri. During the trial process, a total of 200 people, including 34 defendants who are in custody, will present their defense.

THE TRIAL WILL PROCEED UNDER 10 HEADINGS

According to T24, the court decided that defenses would be taken based on the subject headings determined according to the allegations in the file. In the first part, the accusations against Adıyaman Municipality will be addressed. The defendants will provide statements under a total of 10 separate headings. Priority will be given to the defendants in custody, followed by the defenses of the defendants not in custody.

According to this order, the first defense will be taken from Ceyhan Kayhan regarding the allegations related to Adıyaman Municipality. The final word among the defendants in custody will be given to Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat, for whom a prison sentence of up to 415 years is requested. Another notable point is that there are no defendants in custody in the “Aziz İhsan Aktaş profit-oriented criminal organization” section.

22 DEFENDANTS WILL TESTIFY FROM THE PROVINCES WHERE THEY ARE LOCATED

In line with the letters sent by the court to high criminal courts in different provinces, the defenses of 22 defendants, including Adıyaman Mayor Abdurrahman Tutdere, will be taken in the cities where they are located.

SECRET WITNESSES WILL ALSO BE HEARD IN THE FIRST SESSION

Two secret witnesses with the codenames “Yaprak” and “XYZ49QP” included in the file will also be heard as part of the first hearing. The court decided that these witnesses would provide their statements via remote connection with their voices and images altered.