Breaking News... Requested sentence for Ümit Özdağ announced: Decision made to continue detention
Zafer Party Chairman Ümit Özdağ, who is being held at Silivri Prison, has appeared in court for the first time. In its initial opinion at the hearing, the prosecution requested a prison sentence of 1.5 to 4.5 years for Özdağ. The interim ruling stated that the hearing was adjourned to June 17 and that Ümit Özdağ would remain in custody.
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The first hearing in the trial where Zafer Party Chairman Ümit Özdağ is being tried on charges of “publicly inciting hatred and enmity” was held today. The case, conducted by the Istanbul 18th Criminal Court of First Instance, began at 10:30 AM in the courtroom located at the Marmara Closed Penal Execution Institution complex in Silivri.
Özdağ was detained in Ankara on January 20 following a speech he gave at his party's Provincial Chairmen Consultation Meeting in Antalya on January 19, and was brought to Istanbul and arrested on the same day. Having been in prison for 142 days since then, Özdağ appeared before a judge for the first time today.
SUPPORTERS TOOK THEIR PLACES IN THE COURTROOM
Numerous high-level figures from the Zafer Party attended the hearing in Silivri to show their support. It was reported that Özdağ was greeted with applause by lawyers and spectators as he entered the courtroom.
“THE TRIAL IS POLITICAL”
Making his defense at the hearing, Ümit Özdağ argued that the accusations against him were baseless, stating, “The reason I am being held here is neither insulting the President nor the Kayseri incidents.” Emphasizing that he is being held in a solitary confinement cell in prison, Özdağ stated that his constitutional rights were being violated and said, “This is not a judicial, but a political process. The real reason for my detention is the process being conducted with Öcalan and the PKK.”
PROSECUTOR REQUESTS UP TO 4 YEARS IN PRISON
Announcing the initial opinion on the merits at the hearing, the prosecutor requested a prison sentence of 1 year and 6 months to 4 years for Ümit Özdağ under Article 216 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) for the crime of “publicly inciting hatred and enmity.”
A SEPARATE CASE FILED FOR INSULTING THE PRESIDENT
It was also learned that a separate case has been filed against Ümit Özdağ on charges of “insulting the President.” Özdağ, who made harsh criticisms of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in his speech in Antalya, is also being tried for these remarks. The file opened on charges of “insulting the President” was separated from the main file on February 17. In this context, a prison sentence of up to 4 years and 8 months was requested for Özdağ.
TRIAL ADJOURNED
A decision was made to continue the detention of Zafer Party leader Ümit Özdağ. Following a 3-hour defense, a prison sentence of up to 4 years was requested for Özdağ.