The sentences requested in the case regarding the assault on referee Halil Umut Meler after the MKE Ankaragucu-Caykur Rizespor match have been revealed. In the case where four defendants, including former Ankaragücü Club President Faruk Koca, are on trial for attacking referee Halil Umut Meler, the prosecutor announced their opinion on the merits.
During the hearing at the Ankara Western 3rd Criminal Court, the complainant Halil Umut Meler and defendants Faruk Koca, Kenan Celikkaya, Sahin Yunus Sahin, and Osman Erkam Can did not attend, but the attorneys for both sides were present in the courtroom.
The judge allowed the prosecutor to present their views on the merits of the case.
The prosecutor stated that on the date of the incident, defendant Koca, who was the President of MKE Ankaragücü Football Club, entered the field with defendants Can, Sahin, and Celikkaya and approached the referees. The prosecutor noted that Koca threatened Meler first by saying, “I will kill you,” and then struck him, causing him to fall to the ground.
The prosecutor further reported that the other defendants hit the downed referee in various places, injuring him, and that defendant Can attempted to kick referee Meler but missed.
The prosecutor emphasized that Meler’s facial injury resulted in a moderate degree of bone fracture and stated that the defendants committed the crimes attributed to them.
The prosecutor requested that Koca be sentenced to 3 years and 4 months to 10 years and 1 month and 15 days for “intentionally injuring a person due to their public duty in the sports field resulting in a bone fracture,” 6 months to 2 years for “threat,” and from 3 months to 1 year for violating the “Law on Prevention of Violence and Disorder in Sports,” with a prison sentence or judicial fine.
The prosecutor also requested that defendants Celikkaya and Sahin receive sentences of 3 years and 4 months to 10 years and 1 month and 15 days for “intentionally injuring a person due to their public duty in the sports field resulting in a bone fracture,” and from 3 months to 1 year for violating the “Law on Prevention of Violence and Disorder in Sports.”
For defendant Can, the prosecutor requested a sentence of 6 months to 1 year and 6 months for “attempting to intentionally injure a person due to their public duty in the sports field resulting in a bone fracture,” and from 3 months to 1 year for violating the “Law on Prevention of Violence and Disorder in Sports,” with a prison sentence or judicial fine.
The prosecutor also requested that a ban on attending sports events be imposed on all defendants in accordance with Article 18 of the Law on Prevention of Violence and Disorder in Sports.
The defendants’ attorneys requested time to prepare their defense against the prosecutor’s opinion on the merits.
After the statements, the court announced its interim decision, granting the attorneys time to prepare their defense against the opinion and adjourned the hearing until November 11.
