Turkish local media reported that Istanbul High Court sentenced a TV preacher who was accompanied by women, wearing very short dresses, he referred to as “kittens” to 8,658 years in jail in a retrial on Wednesday,
The Muslim televangelist, Adnan Oktar, hosted television shows while flanked by women wearing a lot of cosmetics and very little clothing, preaching creationism and conservative ideals.
The 66-year-old was handed a prison sentence of 1,075 years last year for offenses such as sexual assault, sexual abuse of children, fraud, and attempted political and military espionage. However, an upper court overruled that decision.
During the retrial, the Istanbul High Criminal Court condemned Oktar to 8,658 years in jail on a variety of counts, notably sexual assault and deprivation of liberty, according to the Anadolu news agency. The court also convicted ten additional offenders to 8,658 years in jail, according to the agency.
Oktar, whom opponents view as a cult leader, rose to prominence for his broadcasts on the internet A9 television station and was frequently criticized by Turkiye’s religious authorities. In a massive crackdown on his organization, he was arrested in Istanbul in 2018 as part of an investigation by the city’s police financial crimes unit.
