In the indictment prepared against journalist Mehmet Akif Ersoy and 7 suspects who were arrested within the scope of the 'drug' investigation, it was requested that Ersoy be sentenced to up to 286 years and 2 months in prison for the crimes of 'establishing and managing a criminal organization', 11 counts of 'qualified sexual assault', 'trafficking or providing drugs or stimulants' and 'facilitating drug use'. The first hearing of the case, which is claimed to be led by journalist Mehmet Akif Ersoy, started today at the Istanbul 19th High Criminal Court. While it was initially decided that the hearing would be closed to the press, members of the press were later allowed into the hall. While detained and unarrested defendants, including Mehmet Akif Ersoy, were present in the courtroom, some defendants attended via SEGBİS.
Veyis Ateş, the former editor-in-chief of Habertürk, who was recently ordered to be released in his own trial, came to the Istanbul Courthouse for the first hearing to be held today. On the other hand, the court president decided to hold the hearing closed to the press.
'I AM THE ONLY PERSON WHO REFUSES TO USE DRUGS'
Victim Melis Asena Özkan said, "I apologize for being in front of you in such a shameful incident. I have always had a job with merit in my professional life, in the field of finance. I met Nurullah Mahmut Dündar in 2022. I have never used drugs in my 36 years of life. I am the only person who refuses to use drugs in the presence of Mehmet Akif Ersoy. I met Nurullah in 2022. Then I went to his office. It was his home office. I took him to work. I met with Nurullah Mahmut Dündar and Mehmet Akif twice. I did not want Akif to come for the third time. In all three meetings, a truth or dare game was played. Among the questions asked were, "How comfortable are you, do you have any close girlfriends, can you tell me what your most revealing photo is?" There were questions like. When I went to the office on the first day, I noticed a hidden camera. I unplugged the camera in the living room. On my second visit, I unplugged the camera as soon as I entered the house. When I went for the third time, I saw that Dündar had recorded me. I entered his gallery. There were videos from that night, I deleted them all. I was called for a job interview for the fourth time. He threatened me with withdrawing his references. He said, 'Mehmet Akif will come and help you with the business.' I rejected him. Dündar was constantly smoking cocaine. He proposed to me. During our last meeting, he tried to bite my teeth, then I backed away. My second meeting with Ersoy was of my own free will. I saw Dündar when the operation was carried out against Mehmet Akif. I was offered a bribe, 'Don't give my husband's name, we will do whatever is necessary, financially and spiritually'. I asked for a job because I was in a very difficult situation. I was pulled into that vortex, citing my job as a reason. I did not go to the fourth meeting of my own free will. "I complain about being invited to the environment with the promise of a job," he said. Victim Dilek Olgun said, "I was not sexually assaulted by them. I liked them, I met them, we had sex. I was not under the influence of drugs. I have no complaints. I saw them using drugs. No one forced anyone to use them. I was not forced. Akif is a secretive man. The kitchen is a closed area. I was at home asking 'What are they doing?' I looked. They caught me drinking in the kitchen. It wasn't an obvious situation. "I'm not complaining," he said.
'I AM NOT COMPLAINING'
Victim Burcu Akyüz said, "Ahmet Göçmez was my boyfriend. Afterwards, I met these people. We continued to meet after we broke up. That day was my birthday. We met at Mustafa's house. We drank alcohol and used drugs, but there was no situation that I could complain about. I did not see how the drugs were brought, it was at home. I had sexual intercourse with Akif, but of my own will. I was having a relationship with Ahmet because he was my boyfriend. Mehmet was in another room. There were some close encounters, but "There was no sexual intercourse, I used drugs, but not by force," he said.
