Harun Yahya sentenced to prison

[Pete Harcoff]

Adnan Oktar (aka Harun Yahya) was recenly convicted and sentenced to jail for creating an illegal organization for personal gain.

Oktar had been tried with 17 other defendants in an Istanbul court. The verdict and sentence came after a previous trial that began in 2000 after Oktar, along with 50 members of his foundation, was arrested in 1999.

In that court case, Oktar had been charged with using threats for personal benefit and creating an organization with the intent to commit a crime. The charges were dropped but another court picked them up resulting in the latest case.

Oktar planned to appeal the sentence, a BAV spokeswoman said. No further details were immediately available.

 

[Nathan45]

" Istanbul-based Oktar, who writes under the pen name Harun Yahya, has created waves in the past few years by sending out thousands of unsolicited texts advocating Islamic creationism to schools in several European countries. "

??? like that's gonna work.

and what's illegal about their organization? it isn't totally clear from the article what he's being imprisoned for.

 

[Chalnoth]

" Istanbul-based Oktar, who writes under the pen name Harun Yahya, has created waves in the past few years by sending out thousands of unsolicited texts advocating Islamic creationism to schools in several European countries. "

??? like that's gonna work.

It could if the schools are Muslim schools.

and what's illegal about their organization? it isn't totally clear from the article what he's being imprisoned for.

I'm wondering that myself. I mean, I'm always happy to see a skeevy, dishonest creationist in jail, but I'm rather curious.

 

[Bombila]

Pharyngula covered this a few days ago, and has more info on the man's quite secular crimes.

Poor Huggybear - there went his hero!

 

[Tomk80]

Linky for the pharyngula post?

 

[Chalnoth]

Linky for the pharyngula post?

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/05/a_few_things_that_amused_me.php
I don't see how it clarifies things.

 

[plindboe]

Is this guy a prattmaster? His name rings a bell.

Peter

 

[Bombila]

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/05/a_few_things_that_amused_me.php
I don't see how it clarifies things.

Sorry Chalnoth, I had thought it did, but going through the comments found only imperfect English language sources and no direct Turkish legal information. The implications are that Yahya has been jailed for fraud and financial exploitation, and that he has been accused of extortion and a (presumably financial) connection with prostitution rings in the past.