13.07.2026 17:50
Interior Deputy Minister Bülent Turan responded to the statements of singer Haluk Levent, who was detained in Bursa as part of the investigation into the "billion-dollar suspicious money flow" targeting the Ahbap Association. Without directly naming Levent, Turan replied to Levent's claim that "I sent messages to Bülent Turan for 15 days and received no response," stating that association audits are conducted not based on random messages but in line with complaints from judicial authorities, and said, "Let the judiciary, not social media, make the decision."
Following a report prepared by the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), an investigation launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against the Ahbap Association triggered mutual statements between Ankara and the detained Haluk Levent.
Haluk Levent, the association president detained in Bursa, argued in his first statement on his social media account that his personal debts were being linked to the association's activities. Levent also claimed that he had been sending messages every day for 15 days to Deputy Minister of Interior Bülent Turan requesting an inspection, but received no response.
DEPUTY MINISTER BÜLENT TURAN MADE A STATEMENT: INSPECTIONS ARE NOT CONDUCTED BASED ON RANDOM MESSAGES
Following these claims by Haluk Levent, Deputy Minister of Interior Bülent Turan issued a written statement to inform the public. Without directly naming Levent, Turan reminded of the institutional workflow, emphasizing that ministry inspections cannot be directed by personal requests or text messages.
Bülent Turan summarized the inspection mechanism to which associations in Turkey are subject with these words: "Approximately 103,000 associations in our country are inspected by both Civil Administration Inspectors and Association Auditors under our Ministry's General Directorate of Relations with Civil Society, in accordance with Law No. 5253 on Associations. These inspections are conducted not based on random messages or requests, but in line with the administration's risk assessment, requests from judicial/administrative authorities, or complaints, and the findings are shared with relevant institutions, especially Chief Public Prosecutor's Offices."
"LET THE JUDICIARY, NOT SOCIAL MEDIA, MAKE THE DECISION"
Stating that the civil society area is one of the most important building blocks of democracy, Deputy Minister Turan also touched upon the discussions on social media regarding the course of the investigation. Concluding his statement with a clear legal emphasis, Turan pointed out the need to await the legal process, saying, "Civil society belongs to all of us and is the first-degree protection area of democracy. Let the judiciary, not social media, make the decision."
Turan's statement on social media is as follows;