Requested sentence for Tanju Özcan has been determined

The 13-page indictment was accepted by the Bolu 6th Criminal Court of First Instance.

It is alleged that Bolu Mayor Tanju Özcan sent sexually explicit messages to municipal staff member Öznur Ç., and that these messages were obtained by the woman's former boyfriend, Mehmet Eren Akgüney.

It is claimed that Akgüney, using these messages as leverage, demanded 20 million Turkish Lira in cash, a luxury car, and a car wash facility from Özcan through blackmail, threatening to leak the messages to the press if his demands were not met. Boluspor Club President Erdal Bayrak and CHP Bolu Municipal Council Member Hüseyin Ekrem Serin were also included in the case for allegedly mediating the blackmail negotiations.

EMPLOYEE TESTIFYING AS A VICTIM CHANGES THE COURSE OF THE CASE

The statements of municipal employee Öznur Ç., who testified as a 'victim' within the scope of the investigation, placed Özcan in the position of a defendant in the same case. Öznur Ç. alleged that Özcan played her an audio recording of a tip-off sent to the municipal call center claiming she had 'had an abortion' while in his office. The indictment alleges that Özcan pressured the employee by saying, 'What would happen if Eren heard this audio recording? I will protect you, I like you, you will see me.' It is claimed that he used such expressions to exert pressure.

In his statement to the prosecutor, Özcan reiterated the blackmail allegations against him, while denying claims that he blackmailed Öznur Ç. or that they had a relationship. However, the prosecutor's office evaluated Özcan's words in his office as falling under the crime of 'blackmail.'

REQUESTED SENTENCES DETERMINED

Within the scope of the accepted indictment, the sentences requested for the suspects have also been clarified. While a prison sentence of up to 3 years and a judicial fine of 5,000 days are being sought for Tanju Özcan for the crime of 'blackmail' due to his actions against municipal employee Öznur Ç., a total prison sentence of up to 12 years has been requested for Mehmet Eren Akgüney for 'blackmail' against Özcan, and 'deprivation of liberty' and 'threat' against his former girlfriend, Öznur Ç.

For Erdal Bayrak and Hüseyin Ekrem Serin, prison sentences of up to 3 years each have been requested on the grounds that they directly participated in the blackmail incident as 'joint perpetrators'.

News Source: İHA