Interim ruling announced in Antalya Metropolitan Municipality case

During the hearing held at the Antalya 6th High Criminal Court, where a total of 41 defendants, including 5 in custody and including Muhittin Böcek, who was suspended from his post as Mayor of Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, are being tried, the Public Prosecutor announced his interim opinion after the defense statements of the detained and non-detained defendants were completed. In the opinion, it was requested that the status of individuals named N.E. and O.M., for whom arrest warrants have been issued, be inquired; that a criminal complaint be filed with the Antalya Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding non-detained defendant T.K. for the crimes of slander and perjury based on the nature of the statements taken up to this stage; that the judicial control decision including the travel ban for non-detained defendant S.T. continue; that the detention of the detained defendants continue separately; and that non-detained defendant K.A., who is being tried on charges of violating Law No. 3628 in the capacity of an accomplice, be arrested.

Requests for release came from the defendants

Following the opinion, defendant Fazlı Ateş took the floor and said, "I do not accept the accusation. I request my acquittal and release." Defendant İlker Arslan, for whom it was requested that he be punished for "laundering assets derived from crime" and "unjust acquisition of property" within the scope of chain crime provisions, also stated, "I request my release to be tried without detention."

Detained defendant Mehmet Okan Kaya said in his defense, "I was taught by my family that 'the state is a father'; I have owned things by serving until today, and I have two young sons. I did not commit a crime; I had mentioned my health problems, and I am overcoming them somehow. I employ hundreds of people during the season; the tourism season is starting, and I need to be at the head of the business. I thank my state for protecting my property. I haven't kissed my children for 7 months, and my wife didn't bring them so they wouldn't see my prison conditions. I request my release first, then my acquittal."

After one of the lawyers defending during the hearing thanked the court panel, the crowd in the courtroom also applauded and thanked the court panel.

Court panel announced its interim ruling

The court panel decided to reject the request to file a criminal complaint against non-detained defendant T.K. The panel also did not accept the request for the arrest of non-detained defendant K.A., who is being tried on charges of violating Law No. 3628 in the capacity of an accomplice. In the interim ruling, the release of detained defendants İlker Arslan, Fazlı Ateş, and Mehmet Okan Kaya was ordered. The court also decided to continue the travel ban applied within the scope of judicial control provisions.

While the court panel decided that the detention of Muhittin Böcek and Gökhan Böcek shall continue, it also requested that Muhittin Böcek's health reports from the last 1 year be submitted to the court panel. The court decided to hear the victims of the crime and the witnesses at the next session and adjourned the hearing to a later date.

News Source: 12punto