Esenyurt Mayor Özer receives suspended prison sentence for abuse of office

Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer has been sentenced to 8 months and 10 days in prison for "negligent abuse of office," though he was acquitted of "forgery of private documents." The court decided to suspend the execution of the sentence, a decision Özer described as effectively void.

Following the verdict, Özer expressed his disappointment, noting that the conviction was based on a charge not included in the indictment. He highlighted that expert reports, prepared by individuals with backgrounds in the Court of Accounts and the Ministry of Interior, indicated he had no involvement in the transactions in question. Despite these reports, he received the prison sentence.

Özer's lawyer, Hüseyin Ersöz, confirmed that the sentence, due to its suspended nature, does not impede Özer's ability to return to his mayoral duties. However, Ersöz stated that they would pursue legal avenues because Özer should have been acquitted rather than receiving a suspended sentence. The legal team believes a full acquittal was warranted given the lack of evidence and favorable expert reports regarding the alleged offenses.