The trial of the case filed against 7 defendants, including former Habertürk TV Editor-in-Chief Mehmet Akif Ersoy, on charges of "qualified sexual assault", "establishing a criminal organization", "trafficking or providing drugs or stimulants" and "facilitating drug use" continued.
In the case heard at Istanbul 19th High Criminal Court, detained defendants Mehmet Akif Ersoy and Mustafa Manaz were present with their lawyers.
Elif K. testified first in the hearing, which continued with the victim's statements.
Stating that the drug test was negative, Elif K. said, “I was not victimized by those named in this file or anyone else.
I was not subjected to a sexual assault.
If I had stayed, I would have filed a complaint that day.
But in this process, I was victimized, lost my job, and lost my health.
It was not Mehmet Akif Ersoy who hired me.
"I am not complaining about anyone, nor am I a victim," he said.
In her statement, the victim presenter Meltem A. said that she was involved in the investigation through fiction and said, “I am 52 years old, my whole life has been turned upside down.
My name was included in this investigation through a fiction.
I am not a victim in this case, nor am I a complainant.
But I am a victim of what I experienced.
I am a victim because my name is in this file.
I was taken from my home as a suspect.
My private life, down to my home address, was shared on social media.
My life was turned upside down overnight.
I don't want to be in this environment.
I suffered material and moral losses.
I want my name to be removed and not to be included in this file again.
I didn't witness anything.
Mehmet Akif had no influence on my employment or promotion.
"I have no acquaintance or conversation with him," he said.
The presiding judge asked the secret witness whether he was in this courtroom during the previous hearing and said that the defendants had made a statement to this effect.
The secret witness said, "I was in this courtroom last time and listened to this hearing."
Thereupon, the presiding judge said, "We cannot listen to you like this, we are removing you from the testimony." he said.
After the victim statements were taken, the detained defendant Mehmet Akif Ersoy was given the floor.
Stating that it was seen that there was no action written in the indictment, Ersoy said, “It is obvious that there is no insanity in any of the crimes that the prosecutor accuses.
Nobody complains.
"I apologized to some people in the last session, and I also apologize to Meltem and Elif for what they went through because they are my friends," he said.
Stating that there is no organization, Ersoy said, “I am not the leader of an organization or anything.
Men were accused, women were victims.
Everyone was skeptical at first.
Everyone is a victim here.
I request my release.
If you write my name on the internet, you will see slander, insults and ugly allegations, and you can be sure that I cannot even leave the house in this state, let alone run away.
"I demand my release and acquittal." he said
Detained defendant Mustafa Manaz said, “The presumption of innocence was disregarded.
It hurts so much I can't handle it.
I lived for my honor and dignity.
I had a company, but now it has been seized and bank accounts have been blocked.
There is nothing concrete in the file, it's all rumors and talk.
I can't digest it.
"I want my release and acquittal," he said.
