31.10.2025 22:04
An indictment has been prepared against a suspect who attempted to set fire to the carpet inside the Hagia Sophia Mosque, which is located within the World Heritage Site boundaries, by igniting books, manuscripts, and pieces of wood he brought with him, with a request for up to 13 years in prison. The suspect, who confessed to his crime, provided a statement that will astonish those who hear it.
On July 11, 2025, the investigation against the suspect Mesut G., who attempted to burn the carpet inside the Hagia Sophia Mosque, located within the boundaries of the 'World Heritage Site', by igniting the books, manuscripts, and pieces of wood he brought with a flammable substance, has been completed.
DETAILED INDICTMENT In the indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's Regional Board for the Protection of Cultural Heritage is mentioned as the 'informant', while Mesut G. is referred to as the 'suspect'. It was reported in the notification received by the police on the day of the incident that there was a person attempting to start a fire in the Hagia Sophia Mosque, and that the fire was extinguished by the mosque officials. Following this, an investigation was initiated upon the Ministry's complaint regarding the arson incident in the harim of the Hagia Sophia Mosque, which is registered as a first group cultural asset requiring protection within the boundaries of the 'World Heritage Site'.
The indictment, which includes security camera footage, states that the suspect Mesut G. entered the Hagia Sophia Mosque by passing through the x-ray machine, took out an object considered to be a book from a cloth bag he brought, brought it to the base of a mosque column, then lit a fire there, and quickly left the mosque.
"MY INTENTION WAS TO BURN, I HAVE NO REGRETS" In the indictment, the statement of the suspect Mesut G. is included, where he said, "After arriving at the mosque, I performed the evening prayer after the congregation finished, and when the congregation began to leave, I ignited 1 Bible, 1 manuscript, and pieces of leaves and wood collected from different places with a cologne bottle, placing it under the carpet and left the mosque. My intention was to burn the Hagia Sophia Mosque. The reason I had a manuscript with me is that it is a reaction to the fact that women's hair is not a sexual object in my beliefs. I also brought the Bible to draw attention due to Hagia Sophia's previous status as a church. I have no regrets."
REQUEST FOR UP TO 13 YEARS IN PRISON In the prepared indictment, it was stated that the suspect Mesut G. caused damage by burning the carpet inside the Hagia Sophia Mosque with the flammable substance he used to ignite the books, manuscripts, and pieces of wood he brought. It was also noted that this place is registered as a first group cultural asset requiring protection. The indictment requested that the suspect Mesut G. be sentenced to a total of 4 to 13 years in prison for the crimes of 'causing damage to public property by burning' and 'violating the Law on the Protection of Cultural and Natural Assets'.