Ümit Özdağ's lawyer explains contradictions in the accusations: 'There is no connection'

The lawyer for Ümit Özdağ, who was arrested on the grounds of the incidents targeting Syrians in Kayseri, explained the reports prepared by the Kayseri Police. 

A prison sentence of between 1 year and 10 months and 7 years and 10 months was requested for Victory Party Chairman Ümit Özdağ. Although the requested lower limit of the sentence does not convert into a prison term, Ümit Özdağ continues to be held at the Marmara Prison in Silivri. Özdağ's lawyer, Kahraman Berk, spoke on Halk TV regarding the accusations directed at him.

Berk stated, "The prosecution builds its logic as follows: Ümit Hoca makes posts in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. Four people associated with the Victory Party are influenced by these posts.

Then, these individuals make posts, and the events in Kayseri emerge," he said. Reminding that the events in Kayseri targeting Syrian immigrants took place between June 30 and July 3, Berk said, "When it started on June 30, Hoca (Ümit Özdağ) sent 3 representatives of the party to Kayseri to investigate and calm the situation. He also makes a social media post himself.

Posts about 'the public needing to be careful' and 'returning to their homes.' There are 4 or 5 tweets until morning. But they asked us about 4 people. One's post was made on April 27, the other was made 10 days after the events. For there to be incitement, the posts must have been made before the events.

These 4 people were also questioned by the Prosecutor's Office. The Kayseri Prosecutor's Office issued a decision of non-prosecution regarding this. The posts need to be close in time. The connection to the Kayseri events would be broken. For example, Lütfü Savaş shared his post about Syrians in Hatay. Hoca is currently being tried for this. We were asked questions about 11 of them. All the tweets directed at us were from the time he was a member of parliament. That is why this investigation should be conducted in Ankara," he said.

"THERE IS A LOGICAL ERROR"

Stating that the Kayseri Prosecutor's Office requested the Police Department to send a report regarding the events, Özdağ's lawyer Berk said, "A 4-page report was prepared. There is no signature at the bottom. It is contrary to correspondence rules. There is no date or reference number. There is only something on the cover indicating who sent it.

The professor was arrested on the basis of that report. It was said, 'This report exists.' However, as far as we have been able to reach via social media later, there is an actual report. 11 police officers participated in the events, observed them, and kept records. None of these have any link to the Victory Party. Extensive research has been conducted.

The Security Directorate has issued statements following those events. There are individuals in custody. Internet pages have been examined. In none of them is there any connection to the Victory Party or Professor Özdağ. But that 4-page report says, 'These individuals are associated with the Victory Party and these 4 people were influential in the outbreak of the events.' That is impossible. There is a logical error. As I said, the prosecutor's office also noticed this. They released three of them, and one remained. That one person has a decision of non-prosecution," he said.

"WE ARE IN LOVE WITH THESE LANDS"

Berk also reacted to the detention decision based on 'flight risk' with the following words:

"There is nothing regarding the professor fleeing. What is it? It does not appear in any file. He already travels with three bodyguards. These three bodyguards report to the General Directorate of Security every week. Where did we go? What did we do? They receive information, they provide information. I mean, he is my elder. I have known him for many years. He is like an older brother to me. He is a person with no possibility of fleeing. We are in love with these lands."

Berk emphasized that the delegation Ümit Özdağ sent to calm the events and the social media messages he shared were not included in the indictment.

Berk said, "There must be a connection between the Kayseri events and the tweets the professor posted. We will defend this in court as well."

DETAINED FOR INSULTING THE PRESIDENT, ARRESTED IN KAYSERI

The initial reason cited for Özdağ's detention was a speech he gave in Antalya. Berk criticized the fact that he was detained for this reason and then arrested under a different investigation:

"In a speech the professor gave in Antalya, he criticized a speech made by the President in his capacity as the AK Party Chairman in Mersin. He was detained for this reason. A new investigation was opened from there. In our view, this is against procedure, but according to the prosecutor's office, it is not. However, a separate investigation number should have been assigned. An investigation was opened within an investigation. Then it was split into two. His hearing for that is also on Tuesday."