Facing up to 11 years and 3 months in prison: Striking details in Ufuk Bayraktar's indictment

The investigation into allegations that actor Ufuk Bayraktar went to a business in Beyoğlu on August 20, 2025, demanded money under the guise of protecting the establishment, and punched the business owner after the owner refused, saying, 'You'll see, I won't let you stay here,' has been completed. The prepared indictment requested that Bayraktar be sentenced to between 7 years and 6 months and 11 years and 3 months in prison. The date for Ufuk Bayraktar's court appearance within the scope of the case has been set. Bayraktar's trial will begin on January 14, 2026, at the Istanbul High Criminal Court.

"LET THE YOUTH OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECT THIS PLACE"

In the indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, Ahmet P. is listed as the 'complainant,' while Ufuk Bayraktar and Volkan Akbaş are listed as 'suspects.' The indictment states that suspects Bayraktar and Akbaş went to the business owned by the complainant, Ahmet P., and sat there for a while. During this time, they saw the complainant's brother, Halil P., and told him they wanted to hold a meeting. Later, when the complainant Ahmet P. went to the suspects, Ufuk Bayraktar showed the complainant a phone with the text 'The cards are being reshuffled, we are in the game too' on the screen and said, 'They are trying to take over this business. Let the youth of our neighborhood protect this place; you pay them 25 thousand liras a week. They have WhatsApp groups. The whole neighborhood belongs to these kids. I'm saying this so they can earn money,' thereby demanding money from the complainant under the guise of protection.

"WITHDRAW YOUR COMPLAINT, I'LL HANDLE THE MATTER"

The indictment notes that when the complainant Ahmet P. did not accept this, the suspects lowered the price to 10 thousand liras per week, but the complainant refused this demand, stating that the police would protect them. Ufuk Bayraktar then left the venue with the other suspect, saying, 'We'll talk later.' It was recorded that after this incident, the suspects came to the venue a few times and then disappeared for about a month, but when they returned on August 20, 2025, Ufuk Bayraktar approached the complainant in an angry manner and stated that he wanted to talk to him again. When the complainant did not want to talk to him, Bayraktar allegedly attacked and punched the complainant, saying, 'You'll see, I won't let you stay here.' It was stated that when the police arrived at the scene after the complainant called them, the other suspect, Volkan Akbaş, approached the complainant and tried to pressure him by saying, 'Withdraw your complaint, I'll handle the matter.' The indictment records that the complainant, Ahmet P., gave an additional statement stating that he might have misunderstood Ufuk Bayraktar and that he was withdrawing his complaint. It was stated that sufficient suspicion was reached that the suspects committed the crime of attempted robbery at the workplace together with more than one person in unity of action and intent, and a public lawsuit was filed against them.

DEMAND FOR UP TO 11 YEARS AND 3 MONTHS IN PRISON EACH

The prepared indictment requests that suspects Ufuk Bayraktar and Volkan Akbaş be sentenced to between 7 years and 6 months and 11 years and 3 months in prison each for the crime of 'attempted robbery at a workplace with more than one person.'