03.09.2026 17:40
In the Ayhan Bora Kaplan criminal organization case, a striking claim was brought up in the defense of the secret witness codenamed 'M7', Serdar Sertçelik. Sertçelik, saying that some political figures and police officials were following him, stated, 'Bekir Bozdağ, Yüksel Kocaman, and Mücahit Aslan's nephew followed him. They had already made preparations beforehand. Statements like "The People's Alliance is falling apart, Serdar, come and blow it up yourself" reveal their intentions. This shows it is a conspiracy.'
In the case against the "Ayhan Bora Kaplan criminal organization," the file was reconsidered after the appeals court overturned some of the rulings previously issued for 61 defendants, 17 of whom were detained. The files of the police officers who carried out the operation, Kaplan's lawyers, and the secret witness codenamed "M7," Serdar Sertçelik, were merged. The trial of the case with a total of 76 defendants continued in the hearing room at Sincan Prison Campus by the Ankara 32nd Heavy Penal Court.
Detained defendants Ayhan Bora Kaplan and Serdar Sertçelik, along with party lawyers, attended the hearing. At the hearing, the secret witness codenamed "M7," Serdar Sertçelik, first made his defense.
"THIS SHOWS IT WAS A SETUP"
Sertçelik claimed that during the investigation process, some political figures and police officers followed him and that his being sent abroad was also linked to this process. Sertçelik said, "Bekir Bozdağ, Yüksel Kocaman, Mücahit Aslan's nephew followed [him]. They had already made preparations beforehand. Statements like 'The People's Alliance is falling apart, Serdar, come and set it off' reveal their intentions. This shows it was a setup."
Claiming that the threats continued after he went abroad, Sertçelik argued that he was threatened through his family. Stating that decisions regarding his extradition to Turkey were made while he was in Hungary, Sertçelik said that a phone allegedly belonging to him was produced in Turkey and his family was summoned for testimony.
Sertçelik stated that he was detained in Hungary between May 2025 and January 2026, claiming he was held in a high-security prison and was "portrayed as a terrorist" there.
"THE PROSECUTOR STARTED MAKING THREATS"
Also referring to the "fake phone" file against him, Sertçelik claimed that fake emails were sent and fake reports were filed in his name.
Stating that he returned to Turkey voluntarily, Sertçelik said, "I came by filing a petition. After I arrived, prosecutor Mustafa Kaya started making threats. He made offers like 'Accept this phone, and I won't have you detained.' I said the phone was fake. How can I accept it?"
Sertçelik stated that he was also asked questions about political figures, saying, "This is entirely a setup." Claiming that the fingerprints of a person named Mustafa Öztaş were found on the phone in question, Sertçelik alleged that PDF records also revealed the phone was used by the same person.
KAPLAN: I DID NOT FLEE
At the hearing, the defense of Ayhan Bora Kaplan, who is being tried on charges of leading a criminal organization, was then heard. Kaplan stated that when he was first detained, news reports said he was "caught while fleeing," saying, "I did not flee."
Claiming that the intelligence director met with Murat Çelik on the day of the incident and discussed the need for an operation against him, Kaplan argued that there was no detention order against him at that time.
Kaplan said, "Kerem Gökay Öner says that after Murat Çelik left, news came that Bora was detained. So, there was no decision against me when I was detained."
"THEY GAVE 7-8 PAGES OF STATEMENTS, SAYING 'SIGN THESE'"
Claiming that they were mistreated at the police station during the detention process, Kaplan alleged that he was asked to sign certain statements.
Kaplan claimed, "[They] called me into the steel room and gave me 7-8 pages. They said, 'Sign these, and we'll help you too.' I said, 'Even if I sign, it will be proven false; how can I make such a slander?' After that, they said, 'We are the state, let me pin 2-3 murders on you and see'."
Stating that he was also asked about a photograph taken on July 15 during his statement, Kaplan claimed that a narrative against him had been constructed from the beginning of the investigation.
Kaplan also claimed that the media was directed against him during the investigation process. "Unfortunately, our file started with an execution and prejudice from the very beginning," Kaplan said, adding, "They played all the opposition media against us. Whoever disliked the President or his ministers targeted us, pointed at us. Just because we took to the streets on July 15."
Claiming that there were message records showing some media outlets were instructed to run news stories, Kaplan said, "They directed the opposition media very well, especially regarding the July 15 coup attempt. There are message records showing they had news reports run by the opposition media and by Cevheri Güven."
Also making a defense regarding the charges against him, Kaplan claimed that the organization allegation was not based on concrete evidence. Kaplan said, "They say I had 60 men, but I never contacted any of them. How am I supposed to give them orders, sir? They couldn't provide evidence for the organization allegation."
Arguing that Erkan Doğan's statement was highlighted in the file, Kaplan said, "This organization was supposedly established over 7 years, what was its purpose? Why would I have established an organization? Was it to take over bars? We didn't. To extort taxi drivers? We didn't. They showed the radio as evidence of the organization. Which valet doesn't use a radio?"
"HE WAS RELEASED FOR TESTIFYING AGAINST ME"
Kaplan also touched upon the situation of some individuals who testified against him in the file. Claiming that Berke Kırıcı was released because he testified against him and then went abroad, Kaplan requested that Kırıcı be heard again. Kaplan said, "Berke Kırıcı was released for testifying against me. He fled abroad. He constantly petitioned for his statement to be taken. Let Kırıcı give his statement; let's see whether he was pressured or not."
Arguing that the complainant Murat Yanar had no connection with him, Kaplan claimed that Yanar came to collect money due to a debt Serdar Sertçelik owed to another person and that a gun was drawn during the incident. Claiming that Mehmet Güven also did not want the truth to come out, Kaplan argued that their requests for certain individuals to be re-heard were not met.
Noting that the statements given by Serdar Sertçelik under the code "M7" were also used as evidence in the file, Kaplan argued that a significant part of these statements was based on hearsay.
Alleging that Sertçelik was directed to testify by being told he would be helped to get released, Kaplan claimed that statements from another secret witness were also present in the file.
Kaplan also claimed that some correspondence between police officer Şevket Demircan and Serdar Sertçelik contained statements regarding the secret witness, saying, "They think that once someone becomes a secret witness, we can't ask questions that would reveal their identity, so they'll just disappear."
"WHEN I SAID 'IF YOU DON'T SAVE ME, I'LL REVEAL EVERYTHING,' THEY FABRICATED THIS PHONE"
Also claiming that the police officers conducting the investigation later changed their phones, Kaplan said that after some audio recordings were released, an operation was carried out against the police officers. Kaplan said, "They have an accomplice, and that is prosecutor Mustafa Kaya. As soon as they file a criminal complaint, it somehow ends up before him. They set a trap for us, sir."
Regarding the found phone allegedly belonging to Serdar Sertçelik, Kaplan also claimed, "We are inside, but we hear things too. In the case where they were tried for leaking information and documents to Cevheri Güven, while Serkan Dinçer was in prison, these police officers made up this phone when he said, 'If you don't get me out, I'll reveal everything and burn you all.' It needs to be revealed who made this phone."
"A SECRET WITNESS STATEMENT IS PREPARED ONE DAY BEFORE GOING TO THE COURTHOUSE"
The non-custodial defendants repeated their previous statements. After the defendants' defenses, their lawyers made their defenses. Ilgaz Teziş, the lawyer of detained defendant Sertçelik, stated, "The secret witness situation has actually been planned from the start. Our client gave this statement under psychological pressure. Kerem Gökay Öner also admitted in his statement that there was a secret interview room. Moreover, we had seen all procedural rules in the correspondence between Prosecutor Mustafa Kaya and the police officers. One day before our client went to the courthouse, a secret witness statement prepared in PDF format is created and signed by our client. However, a secret witness statement is taken in a question-and-answer format before the prosecutor's office."
"Ü5 NEEDS TO COME HERE AND SPEAK"
Bora Kaplan's lawyer, Umut Köroğlu, also said, "At the root of the beginning of this investigation lies a feeling of resentment, hatred, and a desire for revenge whose origin is unclear." Referring to the secret witness "Ü5," who was another secret witness in the case but withdrew their statement during the prosecution phase, Köroğlu said, "Ü5 needs to come here and speak. Maybe our clients frightened them, or maybe they also gave a statement under pressure. They need to come here and speak. This matter cannot be resolved by taking statements behind closed doors."
Kaplan's other lawyer, Rıdvan Şahin, also touched upon the complaining defendant police officers' messaging with prosecutor Mustafa Kaya and argued, "The foundation of the investigation is flawed. We pointed out this flaw. These flaws later emerged. We thought our words would be in vain; we didn't think they would be proven. I have never struggled as much in my life as I have looking for a precedent ruling in this file. Because there is no equivalent. After this point, this trial must accept these messages."