Ece Üner, Gökhan Özoğuz, and Öykü Serter's defenses are the same

22.07.2026 19:00

In the investigation into the Ahbap Association, where Haluk Levent was arrested, Özge Ece Bayramoğlu, known to the public as Ece Üner, artist Gökhan Özoğuz, and presenter Öykü Serter came to the courthouse and gave statements to the prosecutor's office. All three individuals argued that they had no financial or commercial relationships with the Ahbap Association. Üner said, 'I feel deceived,' while Özoğuz stated, 'If my good intentions were exploited, this is a great disappointment for me.'

Within the scope of the investigation numbered 2025/284884 into the "Ahbap Criminal Organization" conducted by the Financial Crimes and Money Laundering Investigation Bureau of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, statements were taken from host Özge Ece Bayramoğlu, known as Ece Üner, artist Gökhan Özoğuz, and host Öykü Serter.

STATEMENTS OF THREE INDIVIDUALS IN THE AHBAP INVESTIGATION

Answering the questions directed to them at the prosecutor's office, the three individuals made striking statements regarding their relationship with the Ahbap Association and Haluk Levent, their social media posts following the February 6 earthquakes, and their opinions formed after the investigation.

In the statements, while it was argued that some past posts were made under the influence of the emotional atmosphere during the earthquake period, harsh reactions and disappointment towards Haluk Levent and Ahbap stood out following the allegations revealed by the investigation.

ECE ÜNER: I FEEL DECEIVED

Özge Ece Bayramoğlu, known in the public as Ece Üner, stated that she knew Haluk Levent due to his identity as an artist and manager of the Ahbap Association, and that she first met him in person after the February 6 earthquakes on a program organized by Oğuzhan Uğur on his YouTube channel.

Bayramoğlu noted that apart from that meeting, she had no phone or face-to-face contact with Haluk Levent, added that she did not donate to the Ahbap Association, and stated that her bank accounts could be examined.

Bayramoğlu argued that her statements during the earthquake period were not a special endorsement of Ahbap, and said she aimed to convey a message of unity and solidarity at that time.

The most striking part of Bayramoğlu's statement was the expressions she used regarding Ahbap and Haluk Levent after the investigation.

"If Haluk Levent has used the aid money in this way, I also feel deceived," said Bayramoğlu, using the following words: "If I had known that Haluk Levent would use the collected aid money in this way, I would not have made such a statement or appeared on the broadcast in the first place."

"I REGRET MAKING THAT POST"

Bayramoğlu argued that being thanked and awarded by various state officials during the earthquake period created trust in her regarding Haluk Levent.

Explicitly expressing regret for her past post, Bayramoğlu said in her prosecutor's statement: "I regret making such a post at that time. I feel deceived regarding Ahbap."

Reacting to Haluk Levent's defense within the scope of the investigation, Bayramoğlu said, "As far as we can see in Haluk Levent's statement, his defense has no validity."

Stating that she believes this defense and the alleged actions are incompatible with public conscience, Bayramoğlu concluded: "I condemn Haluk Levent's actions."

GÖKHAN ÖZOĞUZ: I DID NOT SEND MONEY TO HALUK LEVENT OR AHBAP

Gökhan Özoğuz also stated in his prosecutor's statement that he had no acquaintance with Haluk Levent or the managers or members of the Ahbap Association. Özoğuz said he knew Haluk Levent by name because they were in the same industry, and mentioned he might have had a brief phone conversation with him during aid activities after the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes.

Özoğuz argued that this conversation did not lead to any aid activity or money transfer, and that he did not send money to accounts belonging to Haluk Levent, Oğuzhan Uğur, or the Ahbap Association.

Özoğuz recounted that he went to Oğuzhan Uğur's office during the earthquake period, where he listened to aid calls for people trapped under rubble, and stated he was psychologically affected by this situation.

Özoğuz stated that in his social media posts, he tagged not only Ahbap but also AFAD, the Red Crescent, and AKUT, saying his aim was not to promote any institution but to deliver aid to earthquake victims.

"I URGED PEOPLE NOT TO MAKE DONATIONS THROUGH HALUK LEVENT AND AHBAP"

Özoğuz's statement also included allegations he said he had heard about Haluk Levent in past years. Özoğuz stated he heard that in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Haluk Levent performed at many university concerts, and received information that concert revenues were used for gambling and betting debts.

However, Özoğuz specifically emphasized that he was not a direct witness to these allegations. He argued that he had been urging his close circle not to make donations through Haluk Levent and Ahbap, but despite this, the public support during the earthquake period and the participation of some official figures in programs created trust.

"WE WERE WRONG, I AM DISAPPOINTED"

Stating that after learning the content of the investigation, he saw that many people who thought like him were wrong, Özoğuz expressed his disappointment with Ahbap: "After becoming aware of the investigation in question and partially its content, both I and people who think like me realized we were wrong; I am disappointed."

Özoğuz also mentioned that after these developments, he made a post on his social media account saying, "Ah Ahbap, alas Ahbap, will it always be like this?"

Emphasizing that he has no distrust towards AFAD, the Red Crescent, and AKUT, Özoğuz expressed his loyalty to the state and nation: "I am passionately devoted to my homeland, my nation, and my state. The opposite is unthinkable."

Regarding the possibility that his goodwill may have been abused, Özoğuz said: "If my goodwill was abused, leading to the use of the aid for bad deeds and transactions, it has been a great disappointment for me."

ÖYKÜ SERTER: I DO NOT TRUST SUCH COMMUNITIES

Öykü Serter also stated in her prosecutor's statement that her sensitivity to natural disasters dates back to the 1999 Marmara Earthquake. Serter noted that she worked as a reporter in the field at that time and witnessed very severe images, leaving deep marks on her.

Serter said she wrote her social media posts after the February 6 earthquakes under the influence of anger and pain, arguing that she expressed her feelings not because she thought state aid organizations were insufficient, but to share the common pain.

Serter stated that she did not direct people to Ahbap or any other private aid organization, and said she does not personally know Haluk Levent.

SERTER: I NEVER MADE ANY STATEMENT DIRECTING PEOPLE TO AHBAP

Serter stated that he has never had any personal or commercial relationship with Haluk Levent at any point in his life. Emphasizing that he did not conduct charity activities through the Ahbap Association, Serter said, “I did not deposit money into the Ahbap Association. I never made any statement directing people to the Ahbap Association.”

Stating that he is following the investigation as a citizen and media member, Serter reacted strongly to the exploitation of people's emotions for personal gain.

“I AM AGAINST THOSE WHO EXPLOIT PEOPLE'S EMOTIONS”

Serter said in his statement that just as he reacts to delays in aid, he is equally opposed to taking advantage of people's difficult situations. Serter's following words were recorded in the investigation file: “It is not possible for me to accept such profit-making activities by exploiting people's emotions.”

Serter continued his words as follows: “I am always against such actions that take advantage of people's difficult situations and abuse their emotions.”

JOINT DEFENSE FROM THREE INDIVIDUALS: WE HAVE NO FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIP

The common point of the three statements was the declarations that they had no financial, donation, or commercial relationship with the Ahbap Association or Haluk Levent. While Ece Üner stated that she regretted a past post she made and felt deceived, Gökhan Özoğuz said that after the investigation, he realized he was wrong and felt disappointed.

Öykü Serter stated that she did not donate to Ahbap, did not direct anyone to the association, and was opposed to profiting from people's pain. While the statements of the individuals consulted within the scope of the investigation were added to the file, it was learned that the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office is continuing its “Ahbaps Criminal Organization” investigation from multiple angles.