Israeli Espionage Case Decision Revealed – Last Minute Turkey News
The Istanbul 28th High Criminal Court has announced the verdict in the trial of 56 defendants accused of espionage, with two defendants being sentenced to prison for their involvement with the Israeli Foreign Intelligence Service (Mossad).
The court, which conducted the hearing via the Audio and Visual Information System (SEGBİS) due to the defendants being in custody, sentenced Ahmet Koray Özgürün and Alperen Erkut to 8 years and 4 months in prison each for the crime of “obtaining prohibited information for espionage purposes”. Additionally, 35 defendants were sentenced to 6 years and 8 months in prison for the same crime, with a travel ban imposed on them.
However, 19 defendants were acquitted of the charge of espionage due to lack of concrete evidence against them.
The indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office detailed how the Israeli intelligence service had established a remote operation team through various online platforms, including mobile applications, for espionage purposes. The team conducted operations such as money transfers, tactical work, and information gathering against specific targets.
The defendants were involved in activities such as setting up websites, managing WhatsApp groups, conducting research, and collecting biographical information, as part of their duties for Mossad. The indictment also mentioned that the defendants used encrypted communication channels and international money transfer services to carry out their tasks.
Overall, the court’s decision reflected the seriousness of the charges brought against the defendants and the extensive network of espionage activities conducted by Mossad in Turkey.
