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Two prominent Turkish actors were sentenced to prison terms Thursday for giving false testimony in a case connected to the 2013 Gezi Park protests, though the court suspended announcement of the verdict.
The Istanbul 24th Criminal Court of First Instance sentenced actor Halit Ergenc to 1 year, 10 months and 15 days in prison, while actor Riza Kocaoglu received 1 year and 8 months. Both men were convicted of perjury after testifying as witnesses in an investigation involving talent manager Ayse Barim.
The court suspended the announcement of the sentences, meaning the actors will not serve time unless they commit another offense during a probation period.
During Thursday's hearing, Ergenc defended his testimony, arguing he had answered questions truthfully when called as a witness.
"Intimacy is a relative concept. In our sector, we can pose intimately with many people in various places, or we may not have intimacy with people we've shot many episodes with in the same project," Ergenc said in his defense. "I answered whatever I was asked. When asked, I stated that I had no meetings or contact. Then I was asked about Ayse Barim, and I said 'I'm not acquainted enough with Ayse Barim to know what she discusses with them.'"
The charges stem from testimony the actors gave regarding their connections to Memet Ali Alabora, a fugitive defendant in the Gezi Park case. According to the indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, both actors claimed they had no contact with Alabora and only knew him professionally within the arts community.
However, prosecutors presented evidence contradicting these statements. A technical analysis of mobile phone communications from 2013 revealed 12 instances of contact between Ergenc and Alabora through calls and messages, with communication intensifying during the Gezi Park protests period.
The Information and Communication Technologies Authority also provided a report showing both actors appeared in photographs and news coverage alongside Alabora during the Gezi demonstrations, including images of them walking arm-in-arm with the fugitive actor.
The court initially sentenced Ergenc to 2 years and 3 months before reducing it to 1 year, 10 months and 15 days due to his respectful conduct during proceedings. Kocaoglu's sentence was similarly reduced from 2 years to 1 year and 8 months.
Following the verdict, Ergenc addressed the judge, asking: "So I committed perjury?" The judge informed him he could appeal the decision.
Both actors had no prior criminal records, which factored into the court's decision to suspend the sentence announcement. The case is part of broader legal proceedings related to the 2013 Gezi Park protests, which began as demonstrations against urban development plans but evolved into nationwide anti-government protests in Türkiye.
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