Turkey: Cult leader gets over 1,000 years in prison

ISTANBUL

A Turkish court on Monday slapped cult leader Adnan Oktar with over 1,000 years in prison for 10 separate crimes, according to a judicial source.

Heavy Penal Court No:30 in Istanbul tried 236 defendants, including 78 remanded, for their organized crimes under Oktar’s lead, said the source on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The court gave Oktar a total of 1,075 years and three months in prison over the charges of founding and leading a criminal organization, political or military espionage, aiding Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) even though not being its member, sexual abuse of minors, sexual abuse, deprivation of liberty of person, torture, disturbance of right to education, recording personal data, and threat.

The 64-year-old cult leader, who owned a TV channel, was arrested in 2018 along with 200 collaborators, following allegations of sexual abuse and kidnapping of minors.

Oktar's TV channel broadcasted his shows surrounded by women he referred to as his “kittens".

Tarkan Yavas, one of the defendants, also received 211-year prison sentence for being an executive member of the organization, sexual abuse of a minor, sexual abuse, misstatement of property, and committing perjury in official document.

Oktar Babuna, another defendant, was given 186 years in jail for being a member of a criminal organization, sexual abuse of a minor, and sexual abuse.

The court continues to declare rulings on other defendants.

*Writing by Sena Guler