07.09.2026 10:01
The second hearing of the trial with 19 defendants, including suspended Mayor Tanju Özcan, who is being tried on charges of bribery and qualified fraud in Bolu, has begun. While detained defendant Özcan attended the hearing via SEGBIS, the court is expected to hear new witnesses.
The second hearing of the trial of 19 defendants, including Tanju Özcan, the suspended Mayor of Bolu, who is being tried on charges of "bribery", "extortion" and "qualified fraud" in Bolu, has begun. It was learned that the detained defendant Özcan, who faces up to 263 years in prison, will attend the hearing via SEGBİS.
2ND HEARING HAS BEGUN
In Bolu, the 2nd session of the trial of 19 defendants, including the suspended Mayor of Bolu, Tanju Özcan, against whom a case was filed due to allegations of "bribery", "extortion" and "qualified fraud", has begun.
The first hearing of the case, where the defendants appeared before the judge on charges of "extortion by intimidation", "attempted extortion", "bribery", "qualified fraud" and "violation of Law No. 5072 on Foundations and Associations", had concluded with an interim decision after 5 days. In the interim decision announced after the first hearing, which lasted 5 days and during which defendant defenses and witness statements were heard, the court panel had ruled on releases and continuation of detention.
TANJU ÖZCAN AND 3 OTHER DEFENDANTS REMAIN IN DETENTION
In this context, it was decided to release CHP Municipal Council Member Cihan Tutal and Bolu Municipality Financial Services Director Naim Ayhan, who were being tried while detained, under judicial control measures. In the same interim decision, the house arrest measure on Leyla Beykoz, Deputy Mayor of Bolu, one of the defendants, was also lifted.
The panel ruled for the continuation of detention for Tanju Özcan, the suspended Mayor of Bolu and one of the key figures in the case, Deputy Mayor Süleyman Can, BOLSEV Board Member Ali Sarıyıldız, and Mustafa Altındal, President of the Bolu Greengrocers and Grocers Tradesmen Association and the Bolu Köroğlu Credit, Tradesmen and Guarantee Association.
COURT WILL HEAR NEW WITNESSES
The new hearing of the adjourned case began today at 09:00 at the Bolu Courthouse 3rd Heavy Penal Court. It was learned that Tanju Özcan, the detained defendant who faces up to 263 years in prison, will attend the hearing by connecting to the court from the penal institution where he is held via the Audio and Visual Information System (SEGBİS). The court panel is expected to hear new witnesses at today's hearing and make a fresh assessment of the defendants' current status.