Turkish Left Editor-in-Chief Ali Ozsoy was Again on Trial Today

Ali Ozsoy (second from the left)
and his attorney Hilal Gultepe
(on the furthest left)

Ali Ozsoy, Chairman of Young Turks Organization and Editor-in-Chief of Turkish Left was on trial today because of his latest book “Beware! Thief!” (Hırsız Vaaar!). As remembered from our previous posts, Tayyip Erdogan and his son Bilal Erdogan had sued Ozsoy claiming that his book about the famous Corruption Scandal was “insulting” them. The Prosecutor, surprisingly, claimed three different cases for a single book! Today’s trial was about one of these three: “Insulting Bilal Erdogan”.

In his defense, Ozsoy pointed out that the Erdogan family was suing everybody who is writing about the Corruption Scandal but never showing up at the trials. Ozsoy also accused the Erdogan family of abusing the judiciary system to suppress people. Recalling that Bilal Erdogan is not a civil servant and doesn’t seem to be a “busy” person, Ozsoy requested the attendance of Bilal Erdogan for the next hearing, but was denied by the Court. Ozsoy’s attorney Hilal Gultepe requested the official report of Institute of Forensic Science indicating that the famous leaked recordings of the telephone call between Tayyip and Bilal Erdogan was genuine and not assemblage. This request was also declined. The judgement was postponed for the next hearing.

After the trial, Ali Ozsoy made a short statement to the press:

“Last month, the Judge of another lawsuit about my book was arrested before me. God may help all including the judges and the prosecutors in this inequitable regime. But don’t worry, future is in our hands. I, personally do not have any concerns about my own future, it’s the thieves and traitors who should be worried...”

Ali Ozsoy's book about the Corruption Scandal