Important development in the "match-fixing conspiracy in football" case!

The retrial of 88 defendants accused of orchestrating a conspiracy in the FETÖ "match-fixing in football" investigation has continued following the Istanbul Regional Court of Justice's decision to overturn the previous verdict on procedural grounds.

Some defendants, who are currently detained for other crimes, connected to the hearing at the Istanbul 23rd High Criminal Court via the Audio and Visual Information System (SEGBİS).

Lawyers for the plaintiff Fenerbahçe Sports Club and Aziz Yıldırım, as well as attorneys for some of the defendants, were present at the hearing.

During the hearing, lawyers for Fenerbahçe Sports Club and the complainants requested that arrest warrants be issued for the defendants who could not be reached.

When given the floor, defendant Nazmi Ardıç claimed that the conspiracy allegations in the case were brought to light through a secret witness and stated the following:

"Fenerbahçe Sports Club is a club with more than 20 million, nearly 25 million fans. People have given their hearts to this club, and a sense of belonging has formed. A perception of a 'conspiracy' was created based on this sense of belonging. Through this, FETÖ allegations and conspiracy claims were manufactured. This case is a fabrication from start to finish. I request my acquittal."

Announcing its interim decision, the court panel ruled to issue arrest warrants for defendants Necmettin Karapınar, Halil Ardıç, Harun Birsel, and Abdullah Çelik.

The panel also ordered that defendant Necati Keskin be brought to court by force and adjourned the hearing until May 23.

BACKGROUND OF THE MATCH-FIXING CONSPIRACY CASE

An indictment was prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office following an investigation into the conspiracy allegedly orchestrated by FETÖ in the "match-fixing in football" probe.

The indictment seeks prison sentences ranging from 35 to 85 years for the "number one" defendant, FETÖ leader Fetullah Gülen, and from 35 to 78 years for Ekrem Dumanlı, the former editor-in-chief of the shuttered Zaman newspaper.

The indictment, which proposes prison sentences of 35 to 80 years for former Samanyolu Broadcasting Group President Hidayet Karaca, also demands prison sentences of 35 to 85 years for former MP İlhan İşbilen and businessman Muammer İhsan Kalkavan.

The indictment further requests various prison terms for the then-Deputy Istanbul Police Chief Mutlu Ekizoğlu, Istanbul Organized Crime Bureau Chief Nazmi Ardıç, the rector of the shuttered Fatih University Prof. Dr. Şerif Ali Tekalan, Prof. Dr. Suat Yıldırım, lawyer Orhan Erdemli, former police chief Ali Fuat Yılmazer, lawyer Cemalettin Mutlu, and 95 other defendants.

DECISION ON THE SEPARATED CASE OF 5 DEFENDANTS

At the hearing on July 3, 2020, the Istanbul 23rd High Criminal Court panel separated the files of fugitive defendants and those only charged with "membership in an armed terrorist organization," reducing the number of defendants in the main case to 88.

The verdict for the 5 defendants whose files were separated was announced at the hearing on December 30, 2020. Of the 5 defendants whose files were separated because they were only charged with "membership in an organization," Nazif Aktaş was sentenced to 3 years and 9 months for "aiding FETÖ," and Orhan Erdemli was sentenced to 3 years for the same crime. The panel reduced Erdemli's sentence to 1 year, 10 months, and 15 days due to effective remorse provisions and deferred the announcement of the verdict for him.

The panel rejected the case opened against the other defendants, Ali Fuat Yılmazer, Mehmet Baransu, and Ali Çelik, for "membership in FETÖ" on the grounds that it was a duplicate case.

CASE CONCLUDED ON JUNE 4, 2021

In the ongoing case for the other defendants, the verdict was announced on June 4, 2021. Former Samanyolu Broadcasting Group President Hidayet Karaca was sentenced to a total of 1,292 years in prison, including 1 year and 6 months for each of the 76 counts of "violating the confidentiality of communications," 6 years for each of the 166 counts of "forgery of official documents," and 2 years for each of the 91 counts of "slander."

Former police officer Lokman Yanık was sentenced to a total of 161 years and 8 months in prison, including 5 years for "aiding an armed terrorist organization," 1 year and 8 months for each of the 91 counts of "slander," and 5 years for "forgery of official documents."

The then-Istanbul Organized Crime Bureau Chief Nazmi Ardıç was sentenced to 1,971 years and 1 month in prison for all these crimes against the complainants and victims, including 5 years, 7 months, and 15 days for each of the 70 counts of "violating the confidentiality of communications," 4 years and 6 months for each of the 4 counts of "violating the confidentiality of communications," 9 years, 4 months, and 15 days for each of the 134 counts of "forgery of official documents," 7 years and 6 months for each of the 13 counts of "forgery of official documents," 2 years for each of the 17 counts of "slander," and 2 years and 6 months for each of the 69 counts of "slander."

The then-Deputy Istanbul Organized Crime Bureau Chief Ahmet Kalender was sentenced to a total of 1,766 years and 6 months in prison, including 5 years for each of the 76 counts of "violating the confidentiality of communications," 7 years and 6 months for each of the 155 counts of "forgery of official documents," 2 years and 6 months for each of the 80 counts of "slander," and 2 years for each of the 12 counts of "slander."

Among other defendants, Muhammed Kaya was sentenced to 1,381 years and 6 months, Ramazan Haktan Helvacı to 1,005 years and 3 months, and Furkan Durmaz to 1 year, 6 months, and 22 days for "membership in an armed terrorist organization"; Durmaz was sentenced to a total of 302 years and 6 months for this and other crimes.

The panel sentenced 26 other defendants to prison terms ranging from 5 to 675 years for similar crimes, while 15 defendants were given prison sentences solely for "membership in an armed terrorist organization."

The court acquitted Ekrem Açıkel of all charges. While İlhan İşbilen was also acquitted of all charges, the court ruled that "no decision or sentence was necessary" for 9 defendants, and issued "acquittal and no decision or sentence necessary" rulings for 29 defendants.

The Istanbul Regional Court of Justice, which reviewed the file, overturned the first-instance court's decision on procedural grounds, citing certain deficiencies.