The trial of Ümit Özdağ has been postponed to September 10.

29.04.2025 13:00

The first hearing of the case in which Ümit Özdağ, the leader of the Victory Party, is being prosecuted for publicly insulting the president with a request for a prison sentence of up to 4 years and 8 months was held. The prosecutor requested time for the opinion, and the hearing was postponed to September 10, 2025.

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"Allegedly insulting the President," the leader of the Victory Party, Ümit Özdağ, who faces a prison sentence of up to 4 years and 8 months, appeared before the judge. After the defenses were taken, the hearing was postponed to September 10.

The hearing, held at the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan, was moved to the courtroom of the Istanbul 14th Heavy Penal Court due to high attendance. During the hearing, Özdağ, who is in custody on charges of "publicly inciting hatred and hostility," was present with his lawyers.

CHP LEADER ÖZEL ALSO ATTENDED

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, CHP Istanbul Provincial Chairman Özgür Çelik, Independent Turkey Party Chairman Hüseyin Baş, Victory Party executives, and party members also attended the hearing as spectators. A brief tension occurred between some Victory Party members who came to watch the hearing and the police. Some party members who were not allowed into the courtroom reacted by chanting slogans. The hearing, which began with identity verification, included Özdağ's defense.

HERE IS ÜMİT ÖZDAĞ'S DEFENSE

In his defense, Özdağ stated: "On the morning of January 21, I was brought in for questioning by the prosecutor on the charge of insulting the President, and I was referred for arrest on the allegation of inciting events related to Syrian refugees that occurred in Kayseri on June 30, 2024. What I understand from this is that the Kayseri Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and the Kayseri Police Department have either not reached the conclusion that I incited the events in Kayseri for 7 months or they have reached this conclusion but failed to open the necessary investigation due to negligence. Erdoğan's criticisms of Atatürk are unjust, unfounded, baseless, and scientifically empty claims. The basis of Erdoğan's criticisms of the Atatürk era is Atatürk's adopted secularism policy. My speeches do not contain the slightest element of insult. I request my acquittal."

After the defenses, the hearing was postponed to September 10.

FROM THE INDICTMENT

In the indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it is stated that an investigation was initiated ex officio against the defendant Özdağ due to the words he used against the complainant President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during the provincial chairpersons' consultation meeting of his party on January 19.

It is emphasized that the expressions Özdağ used against President Erdoğan during the meeting are statements that damage the honor, dignity, and respect of the president, and that there is sufficient suspicion to open a public case against him for the crime of publicly insulting the president. The indictment seeks a prison sentence of 1 year and 2 months to 4 years and 8 months for Özdağ for the crime of publicly insulting the president.

Additionally, it is requested that the application of Article 53, Paragraph 1 of the Turkish Penal Code, which states, "A person who is convicted of a crime intentionally shall be deprived of the right to hold a permanent, temporary, or public office as a legal consequence of the conviction; in this context, they shall be deprived of employment in all public offices and services subject to appointment or election by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey or institutions and organizations under the supervision and control of the state, province, municipality, village, or these," be applied to Özdağ.