Ayhan Bora Kaplan organized crime retrial begins in Ankara

The retrial of the Ayhan Bora Kaplan organized crime case has commenced at the Ankara 32nd High Criminal Court in the Sincan Prison Campus. This follows a decision by the regional appellate court to overturn previous rulings that had sentenced Kaplan to 68 years in prison and others to varying terms.

During the proceedings, Ayhan Bora Kaplan claimed that the investigation was conducted with prejudice and that he was subjected to pressure and ill-treatment while in custody. He alleged that the media was manipulated to target him due to his political stances and argued that the organized crime allegations lack concrete evidence.

Serdar Sertçelik, a key witness known by the code name ‘M7’ who was extradited from Hungary, also provided testimony. Sertçelik claimed he was the victim of a conspiracy, alleging that fake emails and reports were created in his name and that he was treated like a terrorist during his detention in Hungary.

The court has decided to continue the detention of 17 defendants, including Kaplan and Sertçelik, and the trial has been adjourned until December 28, 2026.