Prison Sentence Requested for CZN Burak and His Father in Unauthorized Construction Case
Famous chef and social media phenomenon Muhammed Burak Özdemir, nicknamed CZN Burak, and his father İsmail Özdemir are on trial for carrying out unauthorized construction in an urban protected area in Istanbul. A prison sentence of up to 5 years is requested for the two defendants.
CZN Burak: “My Father Said He Got All Permits”
CZN Burak and his lawyers were present at the hearing held at the Istanbul Criminal Court of First Instance. Defending himself, CZN Burak said that his father took care of the issue and that he did not take any action regarding the renovation. Stating that his father informed him that he received permission from the municipality and the Cultural Heritage Preservation Board, CZN Burak stated that he did not accept the accusations and asked for his acquittal.
His father İsmail Özdemir: “No response from the board”
Defendant İsmail Özdemir's lawyer argued that his client received permission from the municipality, but did not receive any response from the board. The lawyer claimed that the board made a decision after the renovations were made and his client was innocent. The lawyer also demanded the acquittal of İsmail Özdemir.
The Court Decided to Fix the Missing Issues
Announcing its interim decision at the hearing, the court postponed the hearing to correct the missing issues. The court decided to continue the trial of the defendants without detention.
Who is CZN Burak?
CZN Burak is a Turkish chef, restaurateur and internet phenomenon. His real name is Burak Özdemir and he was born on March 24, 1994 in Istanbul. He is originally from Hatay Yayladağı Yoncakaya village. He is the owner of the restaurant chain called Hatay Medeniyetler Sofrası and is famous for his cooking shows where he cooks Arabic and Anatolian cuisine while smiling at the camera. He has more than 30 million followers on his Instagram account. It has restaurants in Taksim, Aksaray, Etiler, Dubai and Qatar. A lawsuit was filed between him and his father, demanding imprisonment for the illegal construction he built in an urban protected area.
