Verdict reached in 'City Consensus' case: Ahmet Özer sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison

Former Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer, who was replaced by a trustee, appeared before a judge yesterday in Istanbul in the 'city consensus' case. Özer, who was detained and arrested on October 30, 2024, faced a requested prison sentence of 7.5 to 15 years on charges of 'being a member of an armed terrorist organization.'

Main opposition party leader Özgür Özel was also present in Silivri, where the trial was held, to show solidarity.

JACKET CONTROVERSY

During the hearing, as Ahmet Özer began his defense, he asked the court panel for permission to remove his jacket due to the heat. The presiding judge replied, 'You may remove it, provided there is no room for polemics.' Özer responded, 'I am just sweating.' The judge then approved, saying, 'Make your defense however you feel comfortable.'

After the prosecutor reiterated their opinion, Ahmet Özer began his defense.

Özer's defense is as follows:

"In the three sessions held so far in the case opened against me with completely baseless accusations and heard before your honorable Court, the reality that all matters forming the basis of the indictment cannot be evaluated as evidence regarding the accusations against me has been revealed with all clarity. These so-called pieces of evidence have been clearly refuted both by myself, my lawyers, and by the evidence collected and witnesses heard by your honorable Court itself.

So much so that it has been proven repeatedly that the evidence the indictment relies upon is contrary to the facts and the law, that these so-called pieces of evidence cannot form the basis of an accusation even in their current state, that the accusation was essentially constructed largely based on the statements of secret witnesses, whereas these statements clearly contradict material facts, and that none of the matters presented as evidence can be used as a basis for the allegation of membership in an organization, and thus the allegations put forward have no reality. As of the point we have reached, it has come to light with all its nakedness to what extent the terrorist organization accusation against me is baseless, and that the evidence shown as the basis for this accusation, far from proving the claims, does not even create a simple suspicion on this matter.

The documents regarding my resume and publications submitted to the file have once again registered, on the occasion of this case against me, the fact that my name cannot be brought side-by-side with terrorism as an academic, a politician, and the mayor of the country's largest district. In this state, it has been proven within the framework of the trial that the allegation of membership in a terrorist organization put forward in the indictment against me is completely unreal. Despite this, in the opinion on the merits that I listened to with sadness in the previous session, this baseless claim in the indictment continued to be put forward, the fact that the so-called evidence forming the basis of this claim was refuted one by one was completely ignored, and the imaginary scenario put forward in the indictment without foundation was repeated word for word.

This situation is unfortunately regrettable as it shows that the prosecution has adopted the prejudiced and subjective attitude of the indictment, has not taken into account any defense during the trial, and has ignored the collected evidence. In this respect, I present my defense to the information of your honorable Court by summarizing and reviewing the defenses I made in previous stages, and I request that an acquittal decision be given regarding me in the face of this baseless allegation."

"I SEE BEING ASSOCIATED WITH TERRORISM AS A DISGRACE"

"As a 64-year-old academic and politician who has not been tried for any reason before, I am being tried today before your honorable Court for an obviously baseless and even illogical accusation such as 'membership in a terrorist organization,' and this trial has now reached the decision stage.

Unfortunately, during the investigation process before this trial and in the first part of the trial, I had to spend 255 days of my life in a single-person cell and between four walls, completely deprived of my most basic right, 'personal liberty,' because of this baseless allegation. You cannot imagine what a great pain this is for an intellectual like me.

During this time, although I asked myself many times for what exact reasons and with what accusations I was subjected to this treatment, I unfortunately could not find any reasonable answer. Finally, it was understood that although there was no tangible evidence, an arrest warrant was issued against me with an accusation like 'membership in a terrorist organization,' and when the so-called evidence used as a justification for this was refuted one by one by my lawyers, new evidence was sought, but at the point finally reached, although there was no evidence suitable to accuse me, a case had to be opened with an indictment prepared with vague claims.

In essence, it is extremely normal that there is no evidence for such an unfair and baseless accusation; because it is impossible to 'find' something that 'does not exist'! All the so-called evidence in the annex of the indictment, as I stated above, has been clearly refuted both by myself, my lawyers, and by the evidence collected and witnesses heard by your honorable Court itself.

Despite this, in the opinion on the merits that I listened to with sadness in the previous session, this baseless claim in the indictment continued to be put forward, the fact that the so-called evidence forming the basis of this claim was refuted one by one was completely ignored, and the imaginary scenario put forward in the indictment without foundation was repeated word for word.

It is of course impossible for me to accept these baseless allegations repeated in the opinion on the merits. Below, I will refute these allegations one by one again, as I have done many times before.

However, before moving on to this, I feel it is a duty to express again a fact that I have repeated many times so far:

It is impossible for me to be a member of a terrorist organization, let alone have my name mentioned together with one.

I have no affiliation other than the academic community and the CHP, of which I am a member.

I have not surrendered my will to anyone, especially not to any organization, and I never will.

I see being associated with terrorism today as a disgrace, even though I have fought for years for it to end.

As a scientist and a peace-loving citizen; I have never been a member of any terrorist organization throughout my life, I have never adopted their ideas and methods, and I have always been against all kinds of violence, including terrorism, in terms of ideas. I have always emphasized the importance and value of living together in peace, and I have stated that terrorism and violence are never a method of solution.

Even during my detention, I never tired of stating this fact. In all the articles I wrote during this process, I talked about the need to end terrorism and develop a climate of brotherhood, and therefore the need for a new solution process. After my release, I tried to offer all the intellectual contributions I could to contribute to the hope of peace that is flourishing again in our country, and to turn the planted sapling of peace into a giant tree that covers our entire country and in whose shade we will all live in peace. During this process, I met with the leading actors of the solution process and expressed my support for the process and the fact that the happiness of all the peoples of Turkey lies in living together in peace, and that a great and strong Turkey together with peace is the only remedy not only for Turks but also for Kurds at every opportunity.

I have not given up on these ideas today, and I will continue to defend peace and brotherhood under all conditions and whatever the cost may be for me throughout my life.

Therefore, it is of course impossible for me to accept the clearly baseless accusations expressed in the opinion on the merits against me.

These allegations are completely unreal.

I have full hope that this fact will be registered with the acquittal decision that your honorable Court will give."

"MY RIGHT TO HOUSING WAS VIOLATED"

"On October 30, my right to housing was violated, and all my digital materials were seized. News about the trustee was published before I even appeared before the interrogation judge. This is also meaningful in terms of revealing the intention of this investigation."

"HOW WILL A PEACE PROCESS BE ACHIEVED ON SUCH A GROUND?"

"I am being accused by a secret witness who was invented overnight, who was not asked about in the police station or during the interrogation.

Looking at my thirty-five-year academic career, even someone passing by on the street can say that I would not be side-by-side with terrorism. Did I become a member of a terrorist organization after becoming mayor?

We have no branch to cling to other than the law. The basic cement that makes us a people is the law.

Today, we are not being tried in this process; we are practically being punished. I am being tried because my name was mentioned in Imralı twelve years ago in a conversation I was not a party to. How will a peace process be achieved on such a ground? In my opinion, the judiciary is one of the most authorized institutions that can provide peace and tranquility. That is why we say that the judiciary must be impartial and independent. Evidence must be clear and unambiguous, leaving no room for debate."

"AHMET ÖZER IS NOT A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION MEMBER; HE IS A GUARANTOR OF PEACE AND UNITY"

"I will refute the allegations against me one by one again, as I have done before.

I have never been a member of any terrorist organization throughout my life; on the contrary, I have always stood against them. I have stated many times that violence is never a solution. All of these are fixed in my past. I talked about the need for a new solution process. After my release, I made an effort to do my part for the peace process without stopping for a single day.

What kind of terrorist organization member will you make out of someone who does all this? Ahmet Özer is not a terrorist organization member; he is a guarantor of peace and unity.

Many issues, from the vacuum cleaner I bought to the rent money deposited by the tenant, and even the place where I bought figs, have been shown as if they were linked to terrorism in the file."

"THEY PUT WHOMEVER THEY FOUND INTO THE FILE"

"For thirteen years, my phones have been tapped through a troll network.

I spoke with Pervin Buldan. Pervin Buldan meets with the President every day. Is she not guilty, but am I guilty when I call Pervin Buldan?

After my release, about one hundred thousand people came to visit me to say 'get well soon.' How can I know whether those people are guilty or not? How can I be blamed for this?

Tuncer Bakırhan is the chairman of a party and is currently meeting with the President. Prof. Dr. Şükrü Aslan still works at a university. Prof. Dr. Sinan Bayram is one of the most important names in this country. They put whomever they found into the file.

On the same dates, I met with Münir Karaalioğlu, who was the Governor of Van and is currently the Deputy Minister of Interior. I prepared a report and presented this report to the Prime Minister of the period, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Why are these not in the file?

Süleyman Soylu called me for work. Why were these not put in the file?"

"IS THE STATE SETTING A TRAP FOR THE CITIZEN?"

"It is claimed that it was determined that I contacted Remzi Kartal 14 times between August 29 and 30, twelve years ago. It is said that he is wanted in the red category. There are two lies in this sentence. In the document you wrote, it says 'he is not wanted with a red notice.' Secondly, I never spoke to Remzi Kartal on the phone.

I am being tried for phone calls whose content and relationship are unclear. If I am a member of a terrorist organization, did I only speak on the phone twice in 14 years?

Moreover, the person you call Remzi Kartal talks to journalists every day. Hüseyin Yayman is an AK Party MKYK member. On the same dates, Yayman had dinner with Remzi Kartal. He said 'I am an academic' to defend himself. So what am I? Does this fit into reason and logic?

The same Hüseyin Yayman was part of the delegation that met with Öcalan in Imralı. I visited an association called Medya-Der. This association was allegedly in support of the PKK. Then why don't you close this association? Is the state setting a trap for the citizen? They are bringing my visit during the election process against me as an accusation.

Money movements have been put into the file. My own brother is Azad Özer. He lives in Van with my mother. I sent sacrifice money to Azad Özer and even wrote 'sacrifice money.' What is the problem? A case was opened regarding Azad Özer, but the file was closed with the decision of 'no grounds for prosecution.' Despite this, it was put into the file as if he were a criminal. He is my own brother."

VERDICT ANNOUNCED

The court panel announced its verdict after a 1-hour break. Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer was sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison.