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German court announces decision on Sea Light circle causing political scandal in Turkey

17 September 2008 12:44 (UTC +04:00)

Head of the circle Mehmet Tashkan was sentenced for 2 years and 9 months, his predecessor Mehmet Gurhan for 5 years and 10 months and the circleâ€™s finance director Firdowsi Ermish for one year and 10 months of imprisonment. Ermish was released from the court room because he served 1.5 years of imprisonment.
Turkeyâ€™s Minister of Justice Mehmet Ali Shahin said he and his organization were neutral in this process. â€œCriminal activities and conviction of Turkish citizens upset us. It is more grievous when it happens outside the countryâ€. The minister said Ankara Prosecutorâ€™s Office investigated this criminal case.
Germany-based Sea Light circle collected 41 423 thousand euro on the plea of aid for Muslims suffering from the poverty and conflicts in different places of the world and spent 16 882 thousands of those resources to other goals. The big part of this money was given to Turkish pro-Islamist TV channel Kanal 7 and other part to different companies and misappropriated.