17.06.2025 14:41
The leader of the Victory Party, Ümit Özdağ, who has been detained on charges of "publicly inciting hatred and hostility," has been granted a release order. Özdağ's happiness at the moment he received the release order was captured in a photograph.
The trial of Ümit Özdağ, the Chairman of the Victory Party, which was supposed to be held at the 18th Criminal Court of First Instance at the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan, was conducted in the second courtroom of Silivri Prison due to insufficient capacity in the courtroom.
The court, finding that the crime attributed to Özdağ was established, sentenced him to 2 years, 4 months, and 3 days in prison, while deciding on his release without applying any judicial control measures.
THE MOMENT HE RECEIVED THE RELEASE DECISION
The happiness of Özdağ, who has been detained for 148 days, at the moment he received the release decision was reflected in a photograph.
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 are mentioned as "the informants."
The indictment states that the defendant Özdağ made 34 posts on his social media account on different dates, containing disinformation about Syrians and other groups of refugees, and that these posts were denied by the relevant authorities.
It is noted in the indictment that Özdağ's words and statements in his social media posts contained expressions aimed at inciting provocative attitudes and behaviors, and that these posts were of a nature that could lead a segment of the public to hatred and hostility against another segment, necessitating discrimination.
The indictment refers to a report prepared by the Kayseri Security Directorate's Security Branch on January 21, stating that the individuals involved in the events were influenced by the posts made on social media by Victory Party members and supporters.
The indictment emphasizes that Özdağ's posts were effective in the formation of the events that occurred in Kayseri, stating that the concrete danger element of the crime in question was also realized, and that there is sufficient suspicion of the suspect having committed the attributed crime, as he continued to make posts that could lead to discrimination and incite hatred between August 18 and December 24, 2024.
In the indictment, it is requested that Özdağ be punished with imprisonment from 1 year, 10 months, and 15 days to 7 years, 10 months, and 15 days for the crime of "inciting or humiliating the public to hatred and hostility" through the press and broadcasting in a chain manner, and it is also requested that the provision of Article 53 of the Turkish Penal Code, which involves "deprivation of certain rights," be applied against him.