Release decision for Mükremin Gezgin

In the indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was alleged that social media influencer Mükremin Gezgin insulted a segment of the public in his posts by using mocking expressions regarding the male and female genders.

Cyber investigations and expert reports included in the file claimed that the defendant mediated a sexual encounter between a trans individual nicknamed 'Masal' and Onur B.

The indictment, which stated that phone message records regarding the meetings and money transfers between the parties were examined, requested that Mükremin Gezgin be punished for 'inciting the public to hatred and hostility or insulting them' and 'encouraging, facilitating, mediating, or providing a place for prostitution.'

'I DID NOT INCITE THE PUBLIC TO HATRED AND HOSTILITY'

The first session of the trial, opened at the Istanbul 14th Criminal Court of First Instance, was held. The detained defendant Mükremin Gezgin and his lawyers attended the hearing. In his defense at the court, Mükremin Gezgin denied the accusations against him, stating, "I saw the aforementioned Baki Z. by chance at a fish restaurant. He asked for my phone number, I liked him, and we started talking. I am a well-known person on the video-sharing site TikTok.

I had filmed a video on TikTok with my friend who is known as 'Masal' but whose real name is Onur B. Baki saw this and called me, saying, 'There is someone beautiful with you, set it up for me.' I then messaged Baki from another phone number of mine that Baki did not know, introducing myself as Masal and saying, 'I am Masal, I got your number from Mükremin.'

Baki stopped the messaging and called me from my first number that I had given him. I told him, 'I am a trans person, and the person whose number you asked for is also a trans person; why did you ask for their number?' and the conversation ended there. Baki sent me money once, around 1,500 liras, and he was also going to buy a plane ticket once, but he couldn't; other than that, he did not send any money. I asked for the 1,500 liras as pocket money, and he sent it to me. I absolutely did not mediate prostitution; furthermore, the posts I made did not incite the public to hatred and hostility. I organize women's matinees, I deal with social media, I am innocent, and I request my acquittal," he said.

HEARING ADJOURNED

After the statements, the court issued an interim decision and decided to release the defendant Mükremin Gezgin, taking into account the time he spent in detention, the fact that the statements had been completed, and the lack of possibility of tampering with evidence. The court ruled that judicial control measures be applied to the defendant in the form of a travel ban and signing in at the nearest law enforcement unit to his residence once a week. The court decided that the person named Baki, mentioned in the file, should be heard as a witness in the next session and adjourned the trial to October 8.