Investigation launched into Halit Ergenç and Rıza Kocaoğlu: Perjury
A 'perjury' investigation has been launched against actors Halit Ergenç and Rıza Kocaoğlu, who had testified as 'witnesses' in the Gezi Park protests investigation opened against talent manager Ayşe Barım.
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The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation into talent manager Ayşe Barım on allegations that she was one of the planners of the Gezi Park events.
Barım was detained on Friday morning on charges of "attempting to overthrow the Government of the Republic of Turkey or to prevent it from performing its duties."
Eight actors managed by Ayşe Barım had testified as 'witnesses': Halit Ergenç, Bergüzar Korel, Nehir Erdoğan, Dolunay Soysert, Rıza Kocaoğlu, Mehmet Günsür, Ceyda Düvenci, and Nejat İşler.
According to a report by Ceylan Sever from Habertürk, talent manager Ayşe Barım, the owner of ID İletişim, was referred to the Criminal Court of Peace with a request for her arrest on charges of "aiding in the attempt to overthrow the Government of the Republic of Turkey or to prevent it from performing its duties" following her 2.5-hour statement at the prosecutor's office.
'PERJURY' INVESTIGATION LAUNCHED
An investigation for 'perjury' has been launched against actors Halit Ergenç and Rıza Kocaoğlu, who gave statements as witnesses in the Ayşe Barım investigation. The reason for the investigation is that although they stated they participated in the protests of their own volition, the prosecutor's office determined that they had intense contact with Ayşe Barım during the period when the protests began.
The prosecutor concluded that Kocaoğlu and Ergenç, who were alleged to have been at Gezi Park with Ayşe Barım, gave evasive answers to protect the suspect. Furthermore, their claims that they had no contact at the time regarding footage showing them at the protest with Memet Ali Alabora also led to the 'perjury' investigation.
According to the prosecutor's findings, during the period when the Gezi Park protests began, Ayşe Barım had 7 contacts with Bergüzar Korel, 4 with Ceyda Düvenci, 10 with Soysert, 12 with Halit Ergenç, 5 with Hümeyra Akbay, 1 with Mehmet Günsür, 2 with Nehir Erdoğan, 8 with Selma Ergeç, 2 with Nejat İşler, and 1 with Rıza Kocaoğlu. In the referral document for arrest, the prosecutor's office alleged that Ayşe Barım also attempted to increase the scale of the protests by participating in them with the actors from her own agency.