Jail time sought for teens making video in cemetery

ISTANBUL

Turkish prosecutors seek up to one and a half years in jail for two teenagers, who made a video clip in Istanbul’s Karacaahmet Cemetery, on charges of “denigrating the religious values of a section of the public.”

An investigation was completed against the two youngsters, Batu Belen and U.Ş., identified only by initials, who deliberately walked on some gravestones in the cemetery on April 4 in an attempt to make a video.

The suspects insulted religious values by sharing their video recordings via social media, said an indictment prepared against the duo as a result of an investigation carried out by the Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.

The person who appeared in the video was wearing red lipstick, dark tones of makeup and accessories consisting of many necklaces, according to the expert report of the investigation.

“The suspect, wearing black platform high heels, is seen walking on an old tombstone on the ground while touching some of the others along the way,” said the report.

In his defense, Belen said that he shot the video to participate in an event related to the Turkish culture in England before sending it to the competition.

He also said that he had posted the video on his social media account after the contest was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic but then removed it due to misunderstanding.

But the prosecution stated that in order to visit cemeteries, one should follow certain religious rules and obligations and claimed that the actions in the video were degrading religious values and sentiments.

The trial of the defendants will begin in the coming days as the court has accepted the indictment.