Jail sentence for CZN Burak and his father
A lawsuit was filed against Burak Özdemir, nicknamed CZN Burak, and his father with a demand for imprisonment of up to 5 years each for unauthorised construction in an ‘Urban Protected Area’.
The trial of Muhammed Burak Özdemir, the phenomenon operator known as CZN Burak in Istanbul, and his father İsmail Özdemir started with the demand of imprisonment up to 5 years each with the allegation that they had unauthorised construction in the ‘Urban Protected Area’. At the first hearing held at the Istanbul Criminal Court of First Instance, the defendant İsmail Özdemir and the defence lawyers were present. Muhammed Burak Özdemir was represented by his lawyer.
“I MADE SIMPLE RENOVATIONS ON THE IMMOVABLE PROPERTY IN QUESTION”
Making his defence at the hearing, defendant İsmail Özdemir stated that the immovable property in question belonged to him and said, “I made simple renovations on the immovable property in question. I obtained permission from the municipality for simple renovations. There is no situation to obtain permission from the Regional Board for the Protection of Cultural and Natural Assets, therefore I did not obtain permission. I do not accept the accusation against me” and demanded his acquittal.
The lawyer of the defendant Burak Özdemir stated that his client could not be present because he was abroad, that he had a request for discovery and that they did not accept the imputed offence. The Public Prosecutor, who was asked for his opinion at the hearing, demanded that the missing issues be resolved. Announcing its interim decision, the court ruled that the defendant Muhammed Burak Özdemir’s lawyer be given time to prepare his client, the participation request of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism be accepted and the missing issues be resolved and adjourned the hearing.
FROM THE INDICTMENT
In the indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, it was noted that the area subject to the complaint could not be entered upon notification of unauthorised construction activity, and it was determined that the building was under construction and the application had not yet been completed.
In the indictment, which also stated that no permission document was found regarding the works carried out in the area, it was also stated that an investigation was initiated against the suspects upon a criminal complaint against those concerned regarding the applications that differed from the appearance of 2019, which were made without the permission of the Board, on the immovable in question, which is located in the neighbourhood of the urban protected area and the cultural heritage building that needs to be protected.
In the indictment prepared, it was demanded that the suspects Muhammed Burak Özdemir and İsmail Özdemir be sentenced to imprisonment from 2 years to 5 years each for “opposing the Law No. 2863 on the Protection of Cultural and Natural Assets”.
