Testimony crisis in the Gezi trial! Prison sentences for Halit Ergenç and Rıza Kocaoğlu
Actors Halit Ergenç and Rıza Kocaoğlu were sentenced to prison for "concealing the truth" in their testimonies given in favor of talent manager Ayşe Barım during the Gezi Park investigation. In its reasoned decision, the court stated that their statements contradicted the evidence in the case file.
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The trial in which actors Halit Ergenç and Rıza Kocaoğlu were charged with 'perjury' in the investigation where talent manager Ayşe Barım was accused of directing artists under her agency to participate in the Gezi Park protests was concluded in May. The court sentenced Halit Ergenç to 1 year, 10 months, and 15 days in prison for 'perjury', taking into account his respectful demeanor during the hearing, and sentenced Rıza Kocaoğlu to 1 year and 8 months in prison for the same offense, also considering his respectful demeanor. For both, the court ruled for the deferment of the announcement of the verdict.
IT WAS STATED THAT THE WORDS THEY SPOKE CONTRADICTED THE EVIDENCE IN THE FILE
The reasoned decision was announced by the Istanbul 24th Criminal Court of First Instance in the case in question. In its reasoned decision, the court stated that the words spoken by Ergenç and Kocaoğlu, who testified in the Barım investigation, contradicted the evidence in the file. It was noted that while Ergenç and Kocaoğlu stated in their testimonies as 'witnesses' that they had no contact whatsoever with Mehmet Ali Alabora, a fugitive defendant in the main Gezi Park case, and only knew each other from the industry, HTS records showed that there was indeed communication between the parties.
''IT MUST BE ACCEPTED THAT THE DEFENDANTS CONCEALING THE MATERIAL TRUTH IS SUFFICIENT''
In the announced decision, it was stated that it was clearly seen that the communication between Ergenç, Kocaoğlu, and Alabora intensified particularly during the Gezi Park period, and it was determined that they came together and marched arm-in-arm on the date when the mass protests in Gezi Park intensified. However, it was noted that in their testimonies taken as 'witnesses', they claimed they had no intimacy with Alabora and had no contact with him during that period. The decision stated, ''It must be accepted that the fact that the defendants, who were eyewitnesses, had no impact on the investigation conducted against Ayşe Barım, that comparing their statements with other witnesses heard has no significance for the formation of the crime, that it is not mandatory for witness statements to be the basis of a verdict for the crime to be formed, and that the defendants concealing the material truth is sufficient.''