Turkish prosecutors seek up to 1,365 years in prison for Islamist cult leader Adnan Oktar
Istanbul prosecutors have sought up to 1,365 years in prison for Islamic cult leader Adnan Oktar, who faces several charges including torture, abduction, money laundering, fraud, threats, attempted murder and forgery. Oktar currently stands trial with 237 other defendants for membership in his cult.
Duvar English
Turkish prosecutors have sought between 150 and 1,365 years in prison for Islamic televangelist cult leader Adnan Oktar in a 499-page indictment prepared against Oktar and other members of his cult.
Oktay faces charges of “organizing and managing a criminal organization,” “sexual abuse at gunpoint,” “sexual abuse against children,” “using threats for personal benefits,” “depriving others of liberty,” “preventing others' right to education by using threats,” “forgery in documents,” “annihilating or hiding official documents,” “fraud” and “smuggling.”
Oktar is a self-described Islamic scholar known for his numerous writings promoting creationism against Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.
He was remanded by a court in 2018, along with several others, on charges of committing numerous crimes.
Before his arrest, Oktar used to run his own television channel A9 on which he has hosted talk shows on Islamic values. On occasion, he was broadcast dancing with young women he called “kittens” and singing with young men, his “lions.”
He currently stands trial with 237 other defendants for membership in his cult. The indictment presented to the Istanbul 30th Heavy Penal Court also demanded up to 396 years in jail for many of the suspects accused of being executives of the cult.