17.06.2025 15:31
A release decision has been made for Ümit Özdağ, the leader of the Victory Party, who has been detained for 148 days on the charge of "publicly inciting hatred and hostility." Following the release decision for Ümit Özdağ, the question of "Did he receive a political ban?" has come to the forefront. If Özdağ's sentence is finalized, he will be subject to a political ban due to Article 53 of the Turkish Penal Code under which he is being prosecuted.
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Victory Party Chairman Ümit Özdağ has been tried with a request for a prison sentence of up to 7 years and 10 months on the grounds that he incited the public to hatred and hostility through provocative statements and behaviors in his posts. The case has been concluded.
During the hearing held in Silivri by the 18th Criminal Court of First Instance in Istanbul, the detained defendant Ümit Özdağ and his lawyers were present. Additionally, Ankara Metropolitan Mayor Mansur Yavaş and many members of the Victory Party and parliamentarians attended the hearing.
2 YEARS 4 MONTHS OF PRISON SENTENCE
After the defenses were taken, the court announced its decision, sentencing the defendant Ümit Özdağ to 2 years, 4 months, and 3 days in prison for the crime charged against him, and ordered his release considering the time he has been detained.
A POLITICAL BAN WAS REQUESTED
In the case against Özdağ, a political ban was also requested. The indictment stated that the application of Article 53, paragraph 1 of the Turkish Penal Code, which states that "a person convicted of a crime committed intentionally shall be deprived of the right to hold a permanent, temporary, or provisional public office; in this context, from being employed in all public offices and services subject to appointment or election by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey or institutions and organizations under the supervision and control of the state, province, municipality, village, or these" was also requested.
"IF THE DECISION BECOMES FINAL, ÖZDAĞ WILL BE POLITICALLY BANNED"
In a statement to Haberler.com, lawyer Yücel Önder said, "It is clearly stated in Article 53 of the TCK. The accusation of 'publicly inciting the people to hatred and hostility' falls under intentional crimes. If the 2 years, 4 months, and 3 days sentence he received for the intentional crime becomes final, his right to vote and be elected will be taken away."
FROM THE INDICTMENT
In the indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the Ministry of Interior's Directorate General of Migration Management and the Ministry of Interior's General Directorate of Legal Services were listed as 'complainants', while Ümit Özdağ was listed as 'suspect'. It was stated that his posts were of a nature that would lead to hatred requiring discrimination.
The indictment stated that suspect Özdağ made posts containing statements aimed at exhibiting provocative attitudes and behaviors that were denied by various public institutions on various dates from his social media account, and that his posts and statements directed a segment of the public against another segment, leading to hatred requiring discrimination. It was reported that he was effective in the events that resulted in the injury of 25 security personnel and 1 firefighter in Kayseri. The indictment also stated that the posts of suspect Özdağ were of a nature that would lead to hatred requiring discrimination, creating a clear and imminent danger to public safety by causing concern among those incited, and that he was effective in the events that resulted in the injury of 25 security personnel and 1 firefighter in Kayseri between June 30 and July 3, 2024.
"I WAS DIRECTLY REQUESTED BY ÜMİT ÖZDAĞ"
The indictment noted that suspect Özdağ continued to make posts that were of a nature requiring discrimination and leading to hatred, and that 34 of his posts were identified. Additionally, it was recorded that Ramin Saeidi, who was arrested under the charge of 'inciting the public to hatred and hostility or humiliation' and who is the user of the social media account named 'Ambargotv', stated in his defense, "I was directly requested by Ümit Özdağ. I was editing and producing videos according to these requests and showing them to them as they wanted. After their approval, I shared their posts on the social media platforms I mentioned."
REQUEST FOR UP TO 7 YEARS AND 10 MONTHS IN PRISON
The indictment prepared requested that suspect Ümit Özdağ be sentenced to imprisonment of 1 year and 10 months to 7 years and 10 months for the crime of 'publicly inciting the people to hatred and hostility' through the press and media in a chain manner.
A POLITICAL BAN WAS ALSO REQUESTED
Additionally, regarding Özdağ, the application of Article 53, paragraph 1 of the Turkish Penal Code, which states that "a person convicted of a crime committed intentionally shall be deprived of the right to hold a permanent, temporary, or provisional public office; in this context, from being employed in all public offices and services subject to appointment or election by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey or institutions and organizations under the supervision and control of the state, province, municipality, village, or these" was also requested.
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