German court sentences lighthouse officials to jail time

A German court yesterday handed down sentences in a fraud case involving the Lighthouse Foundation, a German-based Turkish charity group. The court gave Mehmet Gurhan, Kanal 7 director in Europe, to nearly six years in prison, while Lighthouse head Mehmet Tashan was sentenced to nearly three years, and the group's accountant Firdevsi Ermis was freed due to time served while awaiting trial. Judge Jurgen Mueller said that after soliciting donations for charity, the group had transferred 17 million euros to Turkey via courier. The whole organization was directed from Turkey, Mueller said, adding that Kanal 7's Zekeriya Karaman played a large role in the crime. "This is no simple fraud case," he said. "It is crime against democracy and freedom of belief." He added that the real culprits in the case remain at large in Turkey. Following the end of the German trial, Turkish opposition parties urged the government and prosecutors to expose the case's links in Turkey. In related news, speaking to reporters yesterday, Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin said that the conviction and sentencing of Turkish citizens abroad is no reason for rejoicing.