Prosecutors complete indictment of televangelist

ISTANBUL

Turkish prosecutors have completed the indictment against the controversial Turkish televangelist, Adnan Oktar, and his collaborators, judicial sources said on Friday.

Oktar, who owns a TV channel, was arrested in mid-2018 along with over 200 collaborators, following allegations, ranging from sexual abuse to kidnapping minors.

According to the charge sheet, Oktar and 12 others operated as heads of a “criminal gang”. The charge sheet has listed a total of 226 suspects. Out of them 171 are under arrest.

The accused have been charged under various penal provisions related to engaging in military espionage, organizing a criminal gang, sexual abuse, blackmailing, persecution, bribery, attempt to murder, having membership of an armed organization and forgery.

*Writing by Ali Murat Alhas