“It says in Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Da’imah (22/76): It is not permissible for a Muslim to slander his brother, and it is a major sin; he must repent from that and seek forgiveness from the one whom he slandered; if the latter does not pardon him, he has the right to demand his rights according to share’ah. And Allah is the Source of strength. May Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions…The scholars are unanimously agreed that it is obligatory to carry out the hadd punishment on one who slanders a chaste person, and the punishment is eighty lashes…” – Islam Question and Answer, General Supervisor: Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid, KSA

Rahnuma: On July 11, 2018 a police operation was carried out against Mr. Adnan Oktar (aka Harun Yahya) and his friends. Simultaneously there has been a smear campaign launched by the media based on purely fabricated and baseless allegations. After 8 days of police custody, Mr. Adnan Oktar and 170 of his friends have been imprisoned.

The official statement is that there are 31 different charges in the investigation file. Certain media outlets are illegally running an unconstitutional smear compaign in order to manipulate the pubic perception about the operation. They are creating stories based unproven accusations and scenarios that push the boundaries of imagination. Accusations mentioned in the media do not even exist in the investigation file.

In the mean time it’s important to mention that in the first phase of the investigation, the prosecutor’s office did not find 25 of the 31 charges noteworthy against Mr. Adnan Oktar and the members of TBAV circle who were all detained. The remaining six accusations are referred to in the arrest warrant issued subsequent to the police questioning. The early stages of inquiry and allegations during the operation and the simultaneous unsubstantial media distortions were intended to manipulate public opinion about TBAV and Mr Adnan Oktar.

The six accusations which led to the arrest decision, are based on the contradictory and false statements of a number of previous associates who have been either guided by certain interests or have been threatened, and those who are hostile to our friends. Apart from these unfounded statements, there is no single evidence in the investigation file that could be the subject of allegation.

1. The Claim of Military Espionage

This allegation has already been lifted in the first phase of the investigation, as there have been no findings showing the allegations of military espionage in investigations and in gathered evidence of police forces in the operation. This claim was put forward by Saadettin Tantan in 1999, the Minister of Interior of the time, who executed the police operation against the TBAV members with 5,000 police officers. The foreign scientists who participated in anti-Darwinist conferences organized by TBAV as speakers were claimed to be as espionage activity. Mr. Adnan Oktar hosts all his guests on A9 TV live programs before millions of people. He is the author of more than 300 books (published with the pen-name Harun Yahya), translated into 73 languages. His articles are published in 47 countries in 214 newspapers and magazines. Therefore, it is completely natural that many people visit him with interview requests. And it is definitely not possible to consider these as ‘espionage activity.’

The media organizations that have carried this slander to their publications from the very beginning of the operation, without any proven facts, have committed a serious illegal act of slander under the constitution.

This accussation is not based on any material evidence. Furthermore it is not among the reasons for arrest and has not been taken into consideration by the court. Therefore, there is no longer any reason to cover this subject matter. Thus, these publications in the media indicate to biased and bad intentions.

2. Sexual exploitation of young girls

This claim is also a very specific and highly publicized and at the same time it is very sensitive in our society especially due to the recent child abduction cases in our country.

Similar claims were also put forth during 1999 operation, and it was concluded with dismissal of all charges.

It was initially stated that the referred plaintiff was 17 years old. But apparently 17 years of age would not be sufficient to create adequate public unrest, therefore it was later claimed that the girls who were exploited were 15, 11, and even 7 years old.

In reality, this is an obvious slander. The person who was allegedly exploited came to A9 TV studio with her mother in order to meet Mr. Adnan Oktar and our friends. The meeting took only 1-2 minutes, and it happened at the garden of the studio where our friends accompanied Mr. Adnan Oktar and there was not even a hand shake.

It is obvious that it is necessary to provide evidence and facts in support of the claim so that such a serious criminal charge can be made. However, this claim is a blatant lie and does not rely on any supported evidence or facts. No biological or material evidence was found to confirm the claim.

Mr. Adnan Oktar does not know the under-aged girls who are the subjects of the allegations. A great majority of these allegations have been maliciously organized only shortly before the police operation, coinciding with the timing of the murder of young girls and a heightened sensitivity of these issues around the country.

3. Assertion of money laundering

In relation to this claim, various scenarios are depicted in the media and the figures vary from day to day. These allegations are based on the belief that Mr. Adnan Oktar’s annual income is over $1 Billion, and his monthly income is between $1 -100 million, which is another baseless and irrational accusation. It is claimed that he owns hundreds of companies in Turkey and abroad, and that these companies would have cleared billions of dollars of transactions. If such claim were true, the officials would have found hundreds of bank debit reports.

The truth is, Mr. Adnan Oktar has never had a bank account, nor company ownership or partnership; neither a secret nor open safe deposit box or any property.

The financial status of Mr. Adnan Oktar has not changed since the 1999 operation. The status remains the same as it was in 1999 when he was cleared of such charges at that time with the report given by the Financial Crimes Investigation Commission (MASAK).

The companies and bank accounts of many TBAV members’ are confiscated due to illegal money laundering claims. The target is to restrain the commercial activities of TBAV members. However, there should be no restriction or objection for TBAV members to join in corporate commercial activities.

It is also important to remember that MASAK published 3 reports regarding the illegal money laundering case in 1999 and clearly put forward that there is no case of any kind of such crimes and acquitted TBAV members of the said charges. Today the same charges are repeated. Neither Mr. Adnan Oktar nor our foundation are affiliated with illegal financial or commercial matters and illegal money laundering.



As a matter of fact, no evidence has been found during the examination reports of the investigation file, or during the operation. The lack of any supportive evidence has propelled the media to speculate bizarre imaginary scenarios. For example they reported that “the money might have been buried in the garden” or hidden elsewhere. However, the excavations in the gardens of the homes that were raided did not produce any evidence, and this claim by the media has turned inconclusive.

4. Confidential Digital Archives Seized



Many newspapers, tv channels, and news websites claimed that large number of secret digital archives were obtained as a result of raids. According to these claims, there were hundreds, even thousands of “sexually explicit, threatening and blackmailing” videos in this archive, and that everyone would be shocked if they were exposed.



The reality is completely different from what is described. The vast majority of these digital archive records were taken from the building used by A9 Television as a warehouse. This archive is nothing other than TV broadcasts, which are required by law to be kept in storage. This is an obligation to comply with the Local and National Channels specified in the Radio and Television Supreme Board (RTÜK). Considering that A9 Television started broadcasting in March 2011, it is normal to have large amounts of those broadcast records stored as digital archives.

The same claims were asserted during the operation carried against BAV in 1999, however, the so-called blackmailing videos turned out to be documentary videos and also there were no evidences at all for the claimed crimes. The security cameras in the garden were presented in court in 1999, and the experts reported the true nature and purpose of these cameras as ‘security purpose only.’ It is clear that the news regarding the operation and case against BAV intended to be a great manipulation of perception and opinion through indignation of the public.



5. The Claim of Historical Artifacts and Smuggling



Another claim that found place in the media is that a truckload of historical artifacts were collected from Mr. Adnan Oktar’s house during the operation and that a board of experts was gathered to examine them.

However, the paintings referred as historical artifacts were nothing more than reproductions of well known works of world famous orientalist painters. Also the frames of these paintings are made of pvc, widely used in the art studios to recreate their nice style and aged appearance. Neither the paintings nor the frames have any historical record or value, and they can be easily acquired at any art gallery or even on the internet.

Yet, correspondents who prepared the related news were so desperate and intrigued about this subject that they prepared reports under the news title ”Historical artifacts came out of Adnan Oktar’s house” they used a painting made by the renowned French painter Jean Leon Grome. They did not even show a slight hesitation in using the picture of the original painting named “The Carpet Merchant,” which is currently exhibited, as the public knows, at the Mathaf Gallery in London.

The same accusations of historical artifacts smuggling was also put forward during 1999 operation as well. Furthermore, the former director of Istanbul Fiscal Bureau Yakup Saygılı applied to court with the claim that historical artifacts are present at Mr. Adnan Oktar’s house and made an attempt for a raid based on an anonymous email from the US. This attempt turned out to be inconclusive. Yakup Saygılı is known as a secret FETÖ member and he is currently imprisoned. Today, this same accusation is repeated.



The aim here is, of course, to create an outrage in public opinion that will allow to hold Mr. Adnan Oktar and his friends in custody.

6. The Claim of Similarity to FETO



Some of the slanders about Mr. Adnan Oktar and TBAV community is that there is similarity with FETO. However, similar to the other claims, this claim also lacks any documents or evidence. With these claims they intended to create the impression that such a connection existed, even though it is not true.

One of the claims is that Mr. Adnan Oktar spoke well of Fethullah Gulen in a program broadcasted on A9 Television; but the program which is mentioned was much earlier than the 17-25 December conspiracy and at that time the actions of Fethullah Gulen’s bloodshed were not known yet. Furthermore, the general public perception at the time about Fethullah Gulen was positive and the public viewed and spoke positively him. This included politcians and government.

Moreover, Mr. Adnan Oktar did not praise Fethullah Gulen, but only said that he received a greeting which was communicated to him. In addition, at a time when no politicians or journalists made any negative comments about Fethullah Gulen and his organization Mr. Adnan Oktar criticized Fethullah Gulen and his publication organs in many speeches in a very harsh manner because of their publications posing a risk to the integrity and unity of our country.

It is publicly known that Mr. Adnan Oktar criticized Fethullah Gulen and his actions on his live TV program as the true face of FETO showed up at the 17th-25th conspiracy.

Moreover, during the July 15th coup attempt by FETO Mr. Adnan Oktar has stood up against it from the first minute on his live program on A9 TV; and he clearly gave support to the legitimate government. It is worth mentioning that many people and many tv channels made no broadcast on this crucial topic at the time, even though they are now trying to cozy up to the goverment. This is fixed by the report issued by RTÜK. RTÜK formally reported that the program “Conversation with Adnan Oktar” was the most successful and comprehensive program and also which began at the earliest hour on the night of July 15th, 2016. Mr. Adnan Oktar played an effective role in the dismissal of the coup by declaring the invalidity of the coup attempt with his live broadcast till next morning.

Therefore, it is unacceptable to assume that there is any kind of connection or similarity between Mr. Adnan Oktar and his friends and FETO.

Another false claim in this regards is that Mr. Adnan Oktar has been protected by certain FETO prosecutors, which recently appeared in some news sites. Ebru Akyüzalp’s mother Türkan Akyüzalp, previously visited prosecutor Zekeriya Oz with the intention to open a case against Mr. Adnan Oktar, saying that they chatted and drank tea, but she was let go without her statement taken, and she tells this story claiming that Zekeriya Oz was protecting Mr. Adnan Oktar at the time.

However, she met many other prosecutors besides Zekeriya Oz such as judges and politicians at that time telling her unfounded claims about her daughter. Zekeriya Oz, like other prosecutors and judges, may have understood that this case does not require any action to be taken due to lacking information, or with the purpose of avoiding duplicate investigation since other cases were opened by other prosecutors on this subject.

It is clearly insubstantial to claim that Mr. Adnan Oktar has been protected by members of FETO, based on the statement of Türkan Akyüzalp.

In reality, the situation is exactly the opposite of what the intention is. Mr. Adnan Oktar and the TBAV community have been among the most targeted groups by the FETO for many years, for being a group of friends who protects and supports our state and our people. The traces of open and secret FETÖ members were seen at the operation carried against our foundation especially in 1999 and later then. These are also available in the court records as well. Therefore, this claim is totally irrational.

Since 1999, several conspiracy attempts against Mr. Adnan Oktar and his friends have been carried, including certain former judicial and security members who were later tried under the FETO case. The persons, who were suspected of their connection to FETO; former Istanbul Financial Branch director Yakup Saygılı, former İstanbul Organized Crime Branch Director Mutlu Ekizoglu, former prosecutor Fikret Secen, former Organized Crime branch assistant Ahmet Davulcu, former director of Istanbul Organized Crime combat branch Nazmi Ardıç and Mustafa Kılıçaslan, one of the former chiefs of Organized Crime branch, were involved in the plots against Mr. Adnan Oktar and his friends.

THE CLAIM OF CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION

The same claims of criminal organization were asserted in 1999 as well, and the verdict has been acquittal.

Today we see the same accusations of organized crime unit about TBAV and Mr. Adnan Oktar, however it is necessary to first see whether any evidences of crime or interest exists. In case of lacking evidences, it is not possible to talk about a crime organization. TBAV is a group of friends who came together with the same ideals.

It would not be rational to think of a community who has well integrated with its people, and distributed books, and organized scientific, peaceful and conjunctive conferences in Turkey and around the world for almost 25 years to be a crime organization. How could a group of friends whose members do not have any criminal records be a crime organization?

RESULT



As it is clearly seen above, the allegations about Mr. Adnan Oktar and the TBAV community are totally invalid and fabricated. There are no supportive evidence for the allegations and the news reflected about this operation.

There is no evidence or documents to support the claims in the investigation file.

In this respect, we believe that the truth will show up at the soonest time before the Turkish justice, and that the unjust arrest of Mr. Adnan Oktar and TBAV community will end.