Necati Özkan: Am I stupid enough to upload it to the Dark Web so others can use it?

Necati Özkan presented his defense at the hearing held by the Istanbul 25th High Criminal Court in the courtroom opposite the Marmara Closed Penal Execution Institution.

In the assessment made regarding Necati Özkan in the indictment, it was stated that access to the personal information of numerous citizens was obtained through data found in the digital materials of the detained technology investor Hüseyin Gün, which were determined to belong to the IMM database, and that the procurement of this data was indirectly provided by Necati Özkan.

The indictment recorded that Özkan had transferred numerous email addresses and passwords belonging to the municipality, primarily the IMM's internet address, to a digital environment described as the underground of the internet, known as Osint (open-source intelligence), under the instruction of Ekrem İmamoğlu, and that data within the emails, particularly documents and internal correspondence containing the municipality's confidential information, had been accessed.

The indictment alleged that Ekrem İmamoğlu had obtained citizens' personal information by using his existing influence and transferred it to foreign intelligence service agents, with the aim of gaining political benefits, and that this was carried out together with the defendants Necati Özkan and Hüseyin Gün.

"Who is Hüseyin Gün, and what kind of relationship could I possibly have with this man?"

In his defense, Özkan said, "I have been detained for six and a half months in this case. I have also been detained for 14 months in the main IMM case. I know very well that I have not committed any crime in either case, and that I have not done anything contrary to the law, morality, or decency. I want to start from the beginning of this incident. When I turned on the television channel, I saw the news that an investigation had been launched regarding Tele1 and Merdan Yanardağ. Then I saw that my name was also mentioned in the case. A name called Hüseyin Gün is mentioned, my name is mentioned, and Ekrem İmamoğlu is mentioned. It was like a joke; I couldn't believe it. I actually pinched myself to see if I was dreaming. I strained my memory: Who is Hüseyin Gün, and what kind of relationship could I possibly have with this man? I couldn't remember the slightest thing." he said.

"If I were someone who used data, would I be stupid enough to upload it to the Dark Web so others could use it?"

Necati Özkan, "I have met Merdan Yanardağ twice in my life. Once yesterday, and once here today. I did not request any data from Hüseyin Gün. I asked him the same thing in your presence yesterday. I did not request any data, I did not request any reports, and I did not share any data. In fact, there is nothing related to this in his statements either. The indictment claims that personal information of many citizens was accessed through data determined to belong to the IMM database, and that information contained in the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality database, which is essentially confidential, was uploaded by Necati Özkan under the instructions of Ekrem İmamoğlu to a platform known as the Dark Web, described as the dark room of the internet. First of all, I don't know digital, I don't know data; I am 67 years old. I am not a person born into the digital age; I don't know this field. Furthermore, if I were someone who used data, someone who did things in the digital realm, excuse me, but would I be stupid enough to upload it to the Dark Web so others could use it? Why wouldn't I keep it for myself?" he said.

"Didn't the state's experts check Wickr?"

Özkan, "The indictment says, 'Hüseyin Gün used Wickr, a crypto communication program used by various criminal organizations, and conducted all his conversations with Necati Özkan through this program.' When I was detained, my mobile phone was confiscated. I gave the passwords to my mobile phone as soon as they asked. My mobile phone has been with the state for 14 months. Didn't the state's experts check Wickr? Did they find Wickr on my mobile phone? Can't I use FaceTime or can't I use Telegram? Why would I download something else and try to learn it?" he stated.

The presiding judge asked Necati Özkan: "You said you did not use the program called Wicker. So, those keystrokes and links there do not belong to you?" Özkan replied, "Never, no, they do not belong to me, sir. Mr. Hüseyin said the opposite, but I think he remembers it incorrectly. Or I think he believes that this is what is required by a statement of effective remorse." The hearing was adjourned until tomorrow following the defense statements.

News Source: 12punto