Turkish televangelist’s ‘most senior kitten’ agrees to cooperate with prosecution

ISTANBUL

Adnan Oktar (C) is seen with his "kittens" in this file photo

A woman, who was described by Turkish media as the “most senior kitten” of controversial televangelist Adnan Oktar, has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in a plea deal.

The televangelist, who is also known abroad by his pen name Harun Yahya, was detained with 234 of his followers last month over 30 charges including establishing a criminal organization, child sexual abuse, kidnapping, violating tax law and violating the anti-terrorism law.

Oktar has hosted talk show programs on his television channel, A9, on which he has discussed Islamic values and sometimes danced with young women he calls “kittens” and sang with young men, who he calls his “lions.”

Local media reported on Sept. 18 that Ayça Pars, who has been a “kitten” for Oktar for 30 years, became an informant.

As the top manager of his television and online shows, Pars said she witnessed violent acts by the televangelist “hundreds of times.”

“We were 30 [kittens]. He would pick one to beat, not just by slapping them but he would drag girls around and cut their hair,” she reportedly told a prosecutor.

Pars described Oktar’s work as “deviation disguised as religion.”

“Religion was only a façade. He wanted all women to stare at him as if they are in love with him. If they failed to do it properly, he would cut the live broadcast for a break and torture the woman to punish her,” she added.

“When the girls would begin to cry in pain, he would say they were crying because they love him so much,” said Pars (below).