19.07.2026 23:20
In his statement to the police, Oğuzhan Uğur, who was detained as part of the investigation into the Ahbap Association, said that during the earthquake period, he went to the earthquake zone on a plane arranged by Haluk Levent. Uğur said, 'Haluk Levent told me that an ambulance plane would fly to Adana in the morning. He gave the location and time information. He said, 'Jump on that plane and come.' We found it reasonable and flew to Adana on the plane the next morning. In Adana, a vehicle sent by Haluk Levent picked us up.'
The statement of Oğuzhan Uğur, who was detained as part of the investigation into the Ahbap Association, has emerged. In his statement, Uğur said, 'In some of the interviews we gave, the phrase 'we are collecting money' was misunderstood. As can be seen from our accounts, not a single penny has been deposited. We are not a non-governmental organization. We are aware that we cannot carry out such an activity. Not a single penny has been transferred to Ahbap. I never played a role in the activities of the Ahbap Association. I only shared their IBANs and phone numbers, like other institutions and associations. I stated that my statements regarding depositing money into the Ahbap Association were misunderstood.'
HERE IS OĞUZHAN UĞUR'S STATEMENT
The statement of Oğuzhan Uğur, who was detained as part of the investigation into the Ahbap Association, given at the Financial Crimes Branch Directorate, has emerged. In his statement, Oğuzhan Uğur, who declared his monthly income to be between 150,000 and 400,000 lira, said he did not wish to benefit from the provisions of effective remorse because he had not committed a crime. When shown the photos of the suspects in the investigation and asked which ones he recognized, Uğur said, 'I only know the person named Haluk Levent. I do not know the other individuals. I know the person named Haluk Levent from the media. I first met him when he was a guest on my program in 2018. Later, in 2022, he was a guest on another program of mine. After that, I met him in Hatay on February 7. I have not seen him again since then. There is no relationship between us. I do not know the other individuals mentioned, and there is no relationship between us.'
'IN SOME INTERVIEWS, THE PHRASE 'WE ARE COLLECTING MONEY' WAS MISUNDERSTOOD'
In response to the question, 'In the earthquake disaster that occurred in our country on February 6, 2023, you made posts on social media with Ahbap Association President Haluk Levent about the association's activities in the earthquake zone. It is understood from these posts that you played a role in the activities carried out by the Ahbap Association and provided information that the collected donations were transferred to the association's accounts. In this context, what was the purpose of making these posts on social media? Did you receive any instructions from anyone to make these posts? Explain in detail,' Uğur said, 'I did not receive any instructions from anyone. These support posts were not specific to the Ahbap Association. We also made support posts for AFAD and KIZILAY at the same time. On the day of the earthquake, while we were striving with all our might to provide any help we could due to our strong communication in Istanbul, I received a phone call from Haluk Levent on the evening of February 6, 2023. He told me, 'Those activities cannot be done in Istanbul. Come to Hatay, see the situation at ground zero.'
LEVENT SAID, 'JUMP ON THAT PLANE AND COME'
In his statement, Uğur said the following: 'I told him that we were very eager to go but couldn't find any transportation, and if we wanted to come with our personal vehicles, we were afraid we would create a crowd and be a burden. He told me that my communication power would be more useful here and said an ambulance plane would fly to Adana the next morning. He gave me the location and time information. He said, 'Jump on that plane and come.' We found it logical and immediately flew to Adana the next morning. In Adana, a vehicle sent by Haluk Levent met us.'
'He took us to the Hatay Provincial Gendarmerie building. Haluk Levent met me in the courtyard of the Provincial Gendarmerie building in front of AFAD's disaster management truck. He quickly briefed me on the situation and explained what the Ahbap Association was doing. Later, our ministers came to the truck. I left them alone. In line with our purpose for going, I conducted interviews with the relief teams in the area. Haluk Levent, having finished his meeting with the officials, came to me. I told him that the phone and internet were not working there, and since we didn't want to get underfoot, our team needed to return to Istanbul. I didn't think we could be of any use without internet and a phone.'
'NOT A SINGLE PENNY HAS BEEN DEPOSITED INTO OUR ACCOUNTS'
'We returned to Istanbul the next day because I found a plane. We started doing charity broadcasts. We began writing the verified IBAN numbers of AFAD and the Ahbap Association in the lower bands of these broadcast videos. Of course, during this time, many journalists were requesting interviews to get information from us. In the rush, in some of the interviews we gave, the phrase 'we are collecting money' was misunderstood. As can be seen from our accounts, not a single penny has been deposited. We are not a non-governmental organization. We are aware that we cannot carry out such an activity. Not a single penny has been transferred to Ahbap. In internet terminology, when you do a charity broadcast, for example, even if you give a governorate-approved IBAN for children with SMA, you tell your followers that we are collecting money for such and such a person.'
'For this reason, because we thought it would not be accepted as a statement, we might have quickly used the phrase 'collecting' or 'we are transferring.' However, this does not mean that we collected this aid. It means that we gave the phone number or IBAN of Ahbap or AFAD to people who said, 'We want to send money to Ahbap or AFAD.' What we transferred was information, not money. This can be seen even with the slightest research. I never played a role in the activities of the Ahbap Association. I only shared their IBANs and phone numbers, like other institutions and associations.'
'I DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND WHY I WAS INCLUDED IN THIS INVESTIGATION'
Oğuzhan Uğur said the following in the continuation of his statement:
'I have sincerely answered the questions asked of me. I have not been involved in any organization in any way. I am not even aware of the existence of any organization. I have never committed any crime in my life. I stated that my statements regarding depositing money into the Ahbap Association attributed to me were misunderstood. Moreover, I did not specifically ask for donations to be made to the Ahbap Association. I made statements that donations could be made to all charitable organizations in general. I do not consider this a crime. Since I have no connection with the Ahbap Association, it is not possible for me to know where the donated money was used. It is not possible for me to know how the person named Haluk Levent used the money. I have not physically met with him since 2023. In 2024-2025, he called me a total of three times. He had conversations about a song he was going to release and on general topics unrelated to this matter. I cut these conversations very short. I have had no other communication with him.'
'THE MONEY TRANSFERS HAVE NO CONNECTION TO THE AHBAP ASSOCIATION'
'The money transfers made from my personal accounts have nothing to do with the Ahbap Association, directly or indirectly.'
Stating that during the earthquake he also made support posts for AFAD and KIZILAY, Uğur said, 'I also made support posts for AFAD and KIZILAY.'
On the day of the earthquake in Istanbul, because our communication was strong, I worked with all my might to provide the help we could. The purpose here is not to collect money, but to offer support. I have not engaged in any act of fraud in any way, nor have I attempted to launder any assets derived from crime. I am not aware of the existence of any organization, nor am I a member of any organization in any way. The money transfers made from our companies and personal accounts have absolutely nothing to do with the Ahbap Association. These are completely account movements related to my own commercial operations. All the funds subject to my account movements have been accounted for. They should not be associated with the Ahbap Association. I do not accept the accusations made against me. I have a fixed residence. I have not engaged in any act of destroying evidence or fleeing. I have a regular income. I do not even understand why I have been included in this investigation. I request that a decision of non-prosecution be made regarding me. These are all I have to say."