Decision reached regarding Bahar Candan

An interim decision has been announced in the trial of 21 defendants, including Alisya Bahar Candan, who faces up to 44 years in prison, and Gülnihal Çiçek, known as Nihal Candan, who faces up to 24 years, on charges of fraud and membership in a criminal organization. In its interim ruling, the court ordered the release of the detained defendant, Bahar Candan.

The trial continued for the case in which Alisya Bahar Candan faces 14 to 44 years in prison and Gülnihal Çiçek, known as Nihal Candan, faces 8 to 24 years in prison on charges of fraud and membership in a criminal organization. The hearing, held at the Küçükçekmece 5th High Criminal Court, was attended by the detained defendant Bahar Candan and some other detained defendants. The non-detained defendant, Nihal Candan, also attended the hearing.

In her defense during the hearing, Nihal Candan said, "I think it has been understood after all this time that we are innocent. We have lived through the most realistic version of the movie 'Pardon'. While I request my acquittal, I also request the release of my sister. I also want my phone returned. Thank you."

Following the defense statements of the defendants, the court panel took a recess of approximately 1 hour to deliberate. Subsequently, announcing its interim decision, the court ordered the release of 6 defendants, including the detained defendant Bahar Candan, taking into account the current state of evidence, the fact that their defenses had been taken, and the time they had spent in detention, with the judicial control condition of a travel ban.

Upon hearing the release decision, Nihal Candan called her relatives. Speaking about her sister's release, Nihal Candan said, "I trust in divine justice very much. The fact that the bar association, which defends freedom and justice, canceled my internship without giving me the right to defend myself disappointed me regarding the profession. Other than that, I am very happy."

When asked, "What would you like to say to your sister first?", Nihal Candan replied, "I will tell her, 'Bahar, you are like ice cream that tastes like summer fruit.' The matter is in the hands of the judiciary. I want to hug my sister." When asked, "What will be your biggest piece of advice to Bahar?", Nihal Candan answered, "Let us either be as we appear or appear as we are from now on."

Nihal Candan then hugged her father. The sisters' father, Hakan Candan, said, "It was a difficult and painful process. We would not have wanted such a thing to happen, but it did. From now on, we will learn lessons from these events and always pursue doing the right things. I hope justice will be served. We believe in this."

FROM THE INDICTMENT

The indictment prepared by the Küçükçekmece Chief Public Prosecutor's Office included 38 complainants, 1 complainant-suspect, and 21 defendants, including Nihal and Bahar Candan. The indictment also noted that the detained Gülnihal Çiçek had been released under judicial control, taking into account the time she had spent in detention. The indictment stated that the network led by Onur Apaydın and İlker Oflu defrauded citizens using the "sazan sarmalı" (carp spiral) method by claiming they were selling vehicles at low prices.

It was recorded in the indictment that Bahar and Nihal Candan were part of the hierarchical and organic structure of the criminal organization. The indictment continued, "The suspects had previously participated in various television programs for a long time, appeared in tabloid programs after becoming famous, and because they reached a large number of followers on social media platforms, they held the status of what is now called a social media influencer and screen face; therefore, they were figures recognized by large segments of society, and due to this feature, they played an active role in deceiving victims at special meetings organized by the criminal organization for fraudulent activities."

The indictment stated that the organization leader, Onur Apaydın, carried out banking activities through Alisya Bahar Candan, who was in the position of 'secret accountant and treasurer' within the organization, and that the proceeds of crime were laundered. On the other hand, the suspect Hacı İsrafil Sağlam, who was responsible for procuring victims, stated in his testimony included in the indictment that he attended organization meetings, saying, "Everyone from the upper level attended the meetings. Field staff and lower levels could never attend.

Everyone in the upper management of the organization participated. I saw Nihal Candan at two of the meetings. Nihal Candan was the girlfriend of the organization leader, Onur Apaydın. Other individuals showed respect to Nihal Candan and acted at a distance. Issues regarding the internal functioning of the organization and car buying and selling were discussed in the presence of Nihal Candan," it was stated in the indictment.

The indictment requested that Bahar Candan be sentenced to a total of 14 to 44 years in prison, including 2 to 4 years for 'membership in a criminal organization' and two counts of 12 to 40 years for 'fraud by claiming to be a public official or an employee of a bank, insurance, or credit institution, or by claiming to be associated with these institutions and organizations,' and that Nihal Candan be sentenced to 8 to 24 years in prison for the same crimes. On the other hand, varying prison sentences were requested for the other 20 suspects.

News Source: İHA