Former prosecutors of Deniz Feneri embezzlement case criticize court’s rule

Oya Armutçu – ANKARA

Abdülvahap Yaren stands next to Nadi Türkaslan (R) in this file photo from 2010. Hürriyet Photo

Two former prosecutors of the German-linked Deniz Feneri (Lighthouse) charity embezzlement case, who were removed from the case, criticized an Istanbul court’s decision on the case’s suspects. 

The Istanbul court made the decision May 13 to either acquit the suspects involved in the case or drop the case entirely due to a lapse of time.  

Prosecutor Nadi Türkaslan said the decision was forced and made without seeing all the legal evidence. 

“It is a decision taken forcefully overlooking the evidences, which is completely legal. I hope it will be understood with this decision why I was dropped from the case,” said Türkaslan.

Prosecutor Abdulvahap Yaren said, “We did not prepare the indictment. It is not right to make a detailed analysis. There are things to be talked about for hours so I do not find it right. The situation is clear,” said Yaren. “The latest state of the jurisdiction has also been reflected by this judgement.”

Both of the prosecutors had been previously dropped from the case and acquitted after being tried for “forgery of official documents and misfeasance.”

The case’s first hearing was held in January 2013 at Istanbul’s 6th Court for Serious Crimes, with the rejection of requests for the complainants listed as interveners. 

The 20 defendants in the case, including former Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTÜK) head Zahid Akman, were charged with forgery, participation in forgery conducted by a public official and abuse of confidence while on duty. Each of these offenses carries a jail term of up to 14.5 years.

An investigation was launched after a Frankfurt court convicted three managers of the charity in Germany for embezzling 40 million euros in 2008. Most of the money allegedly ended up in Turkey in the coffers of the Kanal 7 television channel and a business group whose owners were reportedly close to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).