Tolga Akış, the founder and manager of the group Manifest, appeared before a judge for the first time in the case where he is being tried on charges of "mediating the publication of obscene content." A release decision was issued for Akış at the hearing held at the Istanbul 43rd Criminal Court of First Instance.
The court adjourned the next hearing of the case to March 18.
HOW DID THE INVESTIGATION BEGIN?
Akış was detained at Istanbul Airport on August 28 as part of an investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and was arrested by the Istanbul 4th Criminal Judgeship of Peace after being referred there following police procedures.
The prepared indictment requests that Akış be sentenced to imprisonment ranging from 6 months to 3 years. The indictment stated that the members of the Manifest group were selected through a competition called Big Five Turkey, that concerts and shows were organized through Akış's management company, and that the group's financial transactions were also conducted through this structure.
The prosecution alleged that Akış did not merely carry out management activities, but was decisive regarding the content and boundaries of the group's stage shows. The indictment argued that the group's costumes and dances were used as a conscious marketing strategy and that these shows could not be evaluated within the scope of artistic expression.
Akış, however, denied the accusations in his statement to the prosecutor. Acknowledging that he is the founder of the Manifest group, Akış said that he did not determine the dance figures in the stage performances. Regarding the concert at Küçükçiftlik Park on September 6, 2025, Akış said, "The dance figures of the group here did not take place under my management. There is no responsibility on my part in any way."
Providing information regarding revenue sharing, Akış stated that 60 percent of the income obtained from concerts and other activities was distributed equally among the group members, while the remaining 40 percent was allocated to the management company. Arguing that some correspondence included in the file did not reflect the truth, Akış claimed that this correspondence was used by his former business partner Mesut Adlin to discredit him and the group.
News Source: 12punto
