28.08.2026 10:40
Presenter Erhan Çelik, who was targeted after the suspicious death at the clinic of his estranged wife Dr. Özlem Gültekin, broke his silence. Stating that his wife had a 12-year addiction to anesthetic substances and that he struggled for 2 years to get her treated, Çelik gave a very harsh response to the allegations, saying that on the night of the incident, evidence at the clinic was destroyed and thrown in the trash, that cleaning was done before the police arrived, and that he personally had the blackmailing employee caught by the police.
Erhan Çelik, the presenter who has become the focus of attention following the suspicious death of his estranged wife, Obstetrician and Gynecologist Özlem Gültekin, responded very harshly to the allegations and perception operations against him. Stating that he remained silent for the sake of his 6-year-old son and the memory of his deceased wife, Çelik made very striking claims, ranging from efforts to tamper with evidence on the night of the incident to his 12-year anesthesia addiction treatment, from an extortion case to speculation about the autopsy report.
As the suspicious death of Obstetrician and Gynecologist Dr. Özlem Gültekin made a huge impact on Turkey's agenda, her estranged husband Erhan Çelik, who became the target of criticism, broke his silence. Stating that he has endured until today to protect his son's future, childhood, and life, Çelik expressed his reproach, saying, "I endured so much, I endured so much that I turned to stone and cracked, yet I said nothing."
"WE WERE MERCILESSLY AND CONSCIENCELESSLY TARGETED" Emphasizing that he made the statement very reluctantly, Erhan Çelik said that despite the joint calls made by the family and himself immediately after the death, the false news did not stop, "From now on, I will raise a child who has lost his mother, and if God grants me life, I will be the only one by his side every moment. However, we made a public statement with Özlem's family from the very first day. For her memory and the script of those left behind, we said 'have some conscience.' We said, be quiet for a while, let people mourn, but they didn't stop. Those who tried to spread the autopsy report, which is claimed to have been released but has not yet been concluded, as if it were out, the lawyer she dismissed, astrologers posing as journalists, and human drafts who never saw Özlem even once in their lives did not stop. Those gossiping over lies, you are also complicit in this sin and responsibility," he said.
"THEY CLEANED THE PLACE BEFORE THE POLICE ARRIVED" Drawing attention to why the prosecutor's office is seriously investigating the suspicions behind Gültekin's death, Çelik said, "Özlem died under suspicious circumstances. The 3 personnel working at her clinic stated in their initial statements that she had spent the last 2 days at her clinic without leaving, and that on the day of the incident she took an excessive dose of propofol, a narcotic used in anesthesia. Oh, by the way, they had hastily cleaned the place spotlessly before the police arrived at the scene. All the evidence was thrown away. But the crime scene investigation police found these in the trash container with very meticulous work and took them. The cameras were removed from the records, and statements were given saying 'they weren't working.' However, very recently, in another case, there are their own statements that these cameras were working. There are many reasons why the prosecutor's office finds the death suspicious."
"I LEARNED ABOUT HER SUBSTANCE USE BY COINCIDENCE" Stating that the deceased's use of anesthetic substances was not new, and that he learned about it by coincidence in 2023, long after they got married, Erhan Çelik recounted the treatment process and divorce case details with these words: "I learned that her anesthetic use had a 12-year history long after we got married, in 2023, by coincidence, from the home security camera. I obtained from the records on her phone and laptop how she obtained these substances from outside, who sold them to her extra, and who injected them. I shared all this information, documents, and visual evidence I had with the prosecutor's office. They say, 'Why didn't you do it while she was alive?' I did! Starting from 2023, for 2 years, I did everything I could for her treatment both domestically and abroad, but it didn't work, she couldn't quit. No one who calls themselves a 'friend' today was by her side that day. When I failed, I applied to the Istanbul 13th Family Court in January 2025 and submitted all the evidence regarding her illness. I never shared those heartbreaking images with the media or the public, thinking of my son's future, and I personally requested the confidentiality order in court and at the prosecutor's office."
"DON'T DIE WITHOUT EXPERIENCING WHAT WAS DONE TO US" The famous presenter, stating that the extortion incident where images of his wife were attempted to be sold was distorted and served to the public, said, "Her assistant, who worked with her, contacted me to sell the images. I went to the police immediately with the money and correspondence she demanded, thinking she would sell them to others and they would surface in front of my son again. The police installed a listening device, had her caught red-handed at the meeting place, and I sent the woman to prison. This happened 6-7 months before the late Özlem died. Now what is it? They are reporting it as if she was 'caught red-handed while buying the deceased's images.' No, I reported it, I prevented it! This is how a perception operation is done. Don't die without experiencing what was done to us; this is my greatest prayer to God. I will never forgive those who speak without knowing," he said.