Ayhan Bora Kaplan: They wanted me to slander bureaucrats and state officials.

In the Ankara 32nd Heavy Penal Court, Ayhan Bora Kaplan, who is being tried as the leader of a criminal organization, made a defense statement during the hearing. Kaplan claimed that evidence against him was collected and that he was directed to slander state officials and bureaucrats during the detention process.

AYHAN BORA KAPLAN CASE CONTINUES

The trial concerning Ayhan Bora Kaplan, in which 61 defendants are being tried for the criminal organization, continued. The hearing of the case, held in the hall of the Sincan Penal Institutions Campus by the Ankara 32nd Heavy Penal Court, was attended by the defendants and their lawyers. The presiding judge, Mehmet Güven, announced that the hearing would continue with the statements of the defendants and their lawyers against the indictment.

"I WAS ASKED TO SLANDER STATE OFFICIALS"

During the hearing, detained defendant Bora Kaplan, who is being tried for being the leader of a criminal organization, made a defense against the indictment. Kaplan claimed that his right to defense was restricted and that only evidence against him was collected. Describing the events that occurred during his detention, detained defendant Kaplan alleged that police officers directed him during his statement at the police station and asked him to slander bureaucrats and some state officials.

"THE SEMIH ARSLAN INCIDENT IS NOT MURDER BUT SUICIDE"

Kaplan, who argued that the case was based on false evidence, denied the accusations against him, stating that he did not kill anyone. Bora Kaplan claimed that if the expert report prepared regarding the Semih Arslan incident, which is alleged to have been killed on his orders, is read carefully, it will be seen that the incident is not murder but suicide.

"HOW HAVE WE ORGANIZED THAT WE HAVEN'T PREYED ON BUSINESS PEOPLE?"

Criticizing the inclusion of Erkan Doğan, who was stated in the indictment to have been "held for 2 days and tortured" by members of the criminal organization, as a "complainant" in the case, Kaplan said, "If you look at the complainants, they are drug addicts, fraudsters, and those with criminal records. What kind of organization are we that, while there are educated business people, we have preyed only on such people?" The defendant Bora Kaplan stated that his only aim is to prove his innocence. The hearing was adjourned to continue in the afternoon.