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AFP | , by Lingamgunta Nirmitha Rao
An Istanbul court on Wednesday sentenced a Muslim televangelist to 8,658 years in prison in a retrial after he surrounded himself with scantily clad women he called a “kitten”, local media reported.
Adnan Oktar, while promoting creationism and conservative values, hosts a TV show surrounded by heavily made-up, scantily clad women.
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Last year, the 66-year-old was sentenced to 1,075 years in prison for crimes including sexual assault, sexual abuse of minors, fraud and attempted political and military espionage.
But that ruling was overturned by a higher court.
During the retrial, the Istanbul High Criminal Court sentenced Oktar to 8,658 years in prison on multiple charges including sexual abuse and deprivation of liberty, Anadolu Agency reported.
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The court also sentenced 10 other suspects to 8,658 years in prison each, the agency said.
Considered by critics to be a cult leader, Oktar has gained notoriety for his appearances on the A9 online TV channel and has often been condemned by Turkey’s religious leaders.
He was detained in 2018 during a massive crackdown on his group by Istanbul police as part of an investigation by the city’s police financial crimes unit.
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