12.10.2026 17:02
Businessman Mustafa Duhan Demir, Deputy Chairman of the Hakkı Demir Foundation, who made his defense in the İmamoğlu case, recounted that he had to give a check for 12 million 500 thousand lira for the zoning change request of a property belonging to the foundation. Demir, stating in his defense that a bribe was demanded from him under the name of a 'nursery' through city planner Adem Altıntaş, said, "Cursing, I said okay. I was forced to accept the donation, which was forcibly requested only once, under the pressure that the procedures would be delayed."
In the İmamoğlu case, Hakkı Demir Foundation Deputy Chairman Mustafa Duhan Demir described that he had to give checks worth 12 million 500 thousand liras for the zoning change. Demir said that a bribe was requested under the name of a nursery, and that he was forced to accept the donation under pressure of the transactions being delayed.
On the 32nd day of the second hearing of the ‘Ekrem İmamoğlu Interest-Oriented Criminal Organization’ case, the taking of defendant defenses continued. At the hearing, non-detained defendant Mustafa Duhan Demir made his defense. In the indictment, it was stated that Demir conveyed the request for a zoning change for a property belonging to the Hakkı Demir Foundation through Adem Altıntaş (urban planner) to Resul Emrah Şahan, who was then Deputy Mayor of Şişli, and that Şahan conveyed that they would accept the change request if cash was given for the construction of a nursery. It was stated in the indictment that Mustafa Duhan Demir asked Adem Altıntaş to pay money on his behalf, and that Altıntaş, upon this, gave three checks worth 12 million 500 thousand lira to companies belonging to Adem Soytekin.
“THEY ARE ASKING FOR MONEY FOR THEIR OPINIONS TO BE POSITIVE”
In his defense at the hearing, Demir said: “We made a plan amendment regarding the parcel in Kısıklı owned by our family foundation. We initiated the change to the Master Zoning Plan. Since the administration authorized to make the Master Zoning Plan is the Metropolitan Municipality, we applied to the Metropolitan Municipality. Because there were some reports that needed to be prepared and processes that needed to be followed, we agreed with an expert. Urban planner Adem Altıntaş wrote all the plan explanation reports. There is nothing unlawful about our request for a plan change from the Metropolitan Municipality. Around May 2021, Adem Altıntaş submitted the plan explanation report to the Metropolitan Municipality. At that time, according to the legislation, institutions were required to submit their opinions within at most 60 days. Adem Altıntaş said it would be taken onto the council agenda around July 2021. Some time after the application, Altıntaş told me, ‘They are asking for money for the institutional opinions to be positive.’ When I heard this, I stated that I would not give money to anyone for a job that legally needed to be done. When we came to around July 2021, I asked Adem Altıntaş, ‘What is the situation, what stage are we at?’ He said, ‘They see the job as the AK Party’s job, they are dragging their feet.’ In other words, he mentioned that there had been a delay for a while.” He used these statements.
“IF YOU WANT THE JOB TO PROGRESS, DONATE A NURSERY”
In the continuation of his defense, Demir recounted that he told Adem Altıntaş that he would not carry out any improper transaction or give money, and said: “The institutional opinions did not come back negative as I thought. But the delaying effect that Adem Altıntaş mentioned to me began to show itself. For our application in May, the institutional opinions were completed in October 2021. Since the said parcel that was accepted in the council is located within a natural protected forest plan, opinions also needed to be obtained from the relevant ministries. Of course, for these opinions to be obtained, İBB needed to write to them. The ministry would have to be informed so it could write a response. Although a decision was taken in the council regarding the request in February, when we came to March 2022, no letter had still been written to the cultural assets authority. I conveyed this issue to Adem Altıntaş because he was following the job. He came back to me and said, ‘I had told you this before. It is seen as the AK Party’s job. There is resistance. If you want the job to progress, donate a nursery.’ I did not accept this again,” he said.
“I HAD TO ACCEPT”
Demir recounted at the hearing that he spoke with Adem Altıntaş thinking that his projects would be delayed, and said: “When we came to April 2022, no letter had still been written. I told Adem Altıntaş, ‘If they will advance this job when a nursery is built, let them show a place.’ He wanted the money in cash. When I asked, ‘Why?’ he said that they already had their own contractors for nursery construction. I said I would not give money to people I did not know. Adem Altıntaş said, ‘There is only one way: you will make the donation, otherwise this job will drag on.’ In the end, I cursed and said okay. For our rightful and lawful request regarding the land to be finalized, I encountered strange, coercive demands at almost every stage. The periods I have described are not in accordance with customary practice within a normal period. Throughout the entire process I was victimized and very worn down. Only once did I have to accept the donation that was forcibly requested, under the pressure that the transactions would be delayed indefinitely. I was not in a voluntary agreement with anyone. My victimization is very clearly evident. I was not in a voluntary agreement with anyone. I do not accept the crime of bribery,” he said.