Man sentenced to prison for breaking through Hagia Sophia door

ISTANBUL

An Istanbul court has sentenced the defendant accused of forcibly entering a restricted section of the Hagia Sophia Mosque and damaging its door to one year and eight months in prison.

The trial, which took place at the Istanbul Criminal Court of First Instance, revolved around allegations that the accused unlawfully accessed a non-public area of the historic mosque.

Prosecutors had sought a prison sentence ranging from one year and six months to five years on charges of “damaging places of worship and cemeteries” and “violating the inviolability of residence.” During the recent hearing, the defendant Atıf K., was represented by his attorney.

The court ultimately ruled in favor of a conviction for the damage caused to the religious site, sentencing him to one year and eight months in prison. However, he was acquitted of the charge related to violating residential privacy, as the court determined that the legal criteria for this offense had not been met.