Prosecutor's opinion in e-signature case: Up to 120 years in prison requested for gang leader
The trial of 322 defendants at the Ankara 23rd Criminal Court of First Instance continued, concerning an organized crime network that forged official documents, driver's licenses, and diplomas by mimicking the electronic signatures of public officials.
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In the case opened on allegations that fake documents were issued by mimicking electronic signatures, the prosecution presented its opinion on the merits. A 120-year prison sentence was requested for Ziya Kadiroğlu, who is considered the founder and leader of the organization. Convictions were requested for 264 defendants, and acquittals for 22 defendants.
The hearing held today at the Sincan Prison Campus was attended by the alleged gang leader Ziya Kadiroğlu, nicknamed 'Hoca', as well as Gökay Celal Gülen, Zeynep Karacan, several defendants who are being tried without arrest, and the lawyers for the parties. After reading the documents received in the file, the judge announced that the hearing of the defendants would continue.
Speaking when given the floor by the judge, Kadiroğlu claimed that the people who created the electronic signatures were released, stating, "I do not know how these electronic signatures are created. I did not create an electronic signature on behalf of anyone. I did not make a request for one to be created."
Kadiroğlu, who requested his release from the court, continued his defense as follows:
"I did not establish any organization. I do not have a code name. I am being tried for establishing an organization. The organization I am alleged to have established consists of my family and a few friends. I did not establish or manage an organization with the mentioned individuals. I do not know most of the defendants."
Other detained and non-detained defendants also stated that they reiterated their previous statements and did not accept the accusations against them, requesting their release from the court.
120 YEARS FOR KADİROĞLU, 85 YEARS FOR MIHYEDDİN
Following the statements, the public prosecutor announced his opinion on the merits. In the opinion, convictions were requested for 264 out of a total of 286 defendants tried within the scope of the file, and acquittals for 22.
For defendant Ziya Kadiroğlu, who is considered the founder and leader of the criminal organization, a total of up to 120 years in prison was requested for various crimes including 'establishing an organization for the purpose of committing crimes', 'opposition to the ÖSYM Law', 'forgery of official documents', 'unlawful acquisition of personal data', 'opposition to the Electronic Signature Law', and 'damaging, destroying, making inaccessible, or placing data into an information system'.
An 85-year prison sentence was requested for each of the defendants Gökay Celal Gülen, Zeynep Karacan, Mıhyeddin Yakışır, Yalçın Maraşlı, and Ali Çiçekli, who are being tried for various crimes within the scope of the organization.
A 43-year prison sentence was requested for Taner Dağhan, 38 years for Yaren Özkarakaş, 37 years for Halil Erkoç, 33 years for Gülseren Üstün, 30 years each for Oğuzhan Ercan, Ayhan Ateş, and Enver Yılmaz, 28 years for Fuat Tanış Arslan, 23 years for Oğuz Deniz, and 22 years each for İbrahim Akyüz and Özge Baydemir.
Subsequently announcing its interim decision, the court ruled for the arrest of Ali Çiçekli, who was being tried without arrest, and for the continuation of the current status of the other defendants. The next hearing was adjourned to May 20.