07.11.2026 15:30
Özgür Özel, the new party chairman, decided to initiate legal proceedings against Emir Sarıgül, who made claims that he was given a total of 350 thousand dollars. It was reported that a criminal complaint would be filed against Sarıgül on charges of defamation and that a lawsuit for 1 million TL in non-pecuniary damages would be filed. It was announced that Özel would donate the proceeds from the lawsuit.
A legal process is beginning between New Party General Chairman Özgür Özel and Emir Sarıgül due to money claims reflected in prosecutors' statements. The party denied Sarıgül's claims that his father, Mustafa Sarıgül, gave Özel a total of $350,000 on two separate occasions. It was stated that Özel's lawyers are preparing to file a criminal complaint against Sarıgül with the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and to file a lawsuit for non-pecuniary damages.
A 1 MILLION LIRA DAMAGES LAWSUIT WILL BE FILED
It was learned that Özel's lawyers will apply to the prosecutor's office against Emir Sarıgül on charges of defamation. In addition, 1 million lira in non-pecuniary damages will be sought on the grounds that personal rights were violated.
Party sources argued that Sarıgül's statements did not reflect the truth and also reacted to the manner in which the claims were put forward.
"THERE IS A CLEAR FABRICATION HERE"
New Party sources suggested that it was no coincidence that Emir Sarıgül targeted Özel in statements he gave within the scope of a different investigation.
The party's assessment included the following statements:
"The fact that both statements given by the person in question in a completely different investigation were unrelatedly directed at our General Chairman and that this was published in the government media shows that there is a clear fabrication here. Whoever made this slander, whoever had it made, and whoever published it are part of a reputation assassination."
THE DAMAGES PROCEEDS WILL BE DONATED
It was reported that the damages to be won from the lawsuit Özel plans to file will not be used personally and will be donated to organizations operating for the public benefit.
Party sources argued that there is an organized effort behind the claims and made the following statement:
"Whoever is behind the dirty organization in which slanders are put forward in this way against the leader of the main opposition party, we will take all necessary steps to make them account for it."
WHAT HAD EMİR SARIGÜL CLAIMED?
Emir Sarıgül, who was arrested within the scope of a money laundering investigation conducted against the Sarıgül family, had alleged in an additional statement to the prosecutor's office that his father, Mustafa Sarıgül, gave money to Özgür Özel.
Sarıgül had claimed that during the founding process of the NEW Party, his father gave Özel $250,000 for the interior arrangement of the headquarters building. He had alleged that the money was left in Özel's vehicle at the exit of a restaurant in Ankara's Ümitköy neighborhood.
In another incident, he had claimed that Mustafa Sarıgül put $100,000 in a gift package containing two scarves and gave it to Özel at a dinner in Ankara.
Thus, while Emir Sarıgül alleged that his father gave Özel a total of $350,000, the Özel side rejected these claims and decided to resort to legal action.