15.11.2026 19:12
The statements of Prof. Dr. Adnan Yüksel Gürüz, who works at Ege University, regarding the Çeşme Project remarks of AK Party İzmir MP Ceyda Bölünmez Çankırı, drew a strong reaction. Prof. Dr. Gürüz, for whom the İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation on the charge of 'inciting the public to hatred and hostility and humiliation' due to his remarks that also targeted citizens from Mardin, was released with a travel ban abroad and judicial control conditions.
Prof. Dr. Adnan Yüksel Gürüz, Faculty Member at Ege University Faculty of Medicine Department of Parasitology and Director of the Vaccine Development, Application and Research Center, shared a post on his social media account quoting the statements of AK Party İzmir MP Ceyda Bölünmez Çankırı about the Çeşme Project.
SCANDALOUS REMARKS TARGETED BOTH CITIZENS OF MARDIN AND THE MP
Gürüz added statements targeting citizens of Mardin to this post, using the words “A woman from Mardin’s love for Çeşme. They can only be mussel sellers.”
AK Party İzmir MP Ceyda Bölünmez Çankırı gave a harsh response to the post, which quickly drew a huge reaction. In her statement, Çankırı noted that people were looked down on from above by hiding behind an academic title, and stated that marginalizing the children of Mardin and targeting a woman's presence in politics were unacceptable. Çankırı noted that, as an elected MP from İzmir, they worked in the field day and night to develop tourism, while discriminatory and utterly arrogant mindsets would be doomed to drown in their own dark hatred.
DELETED HIS POST AND APOLOGIZED
After the intense reactions, Prof. Dr. Adnan Yüksel Gürüz deleted his post and stated that he had made a post that exceeded its purpose out of an instinct to protect Çeşme from construction, and apologized to the people of İzmir and the citizens of Mardin.
CHIEF PUBLIC PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE STEPPED IN
An official investigation was launched by the İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the incident. In a statement from the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was announced that the post was evaluated within the scope of Article 216/2 of the Turkish Penal Code under the crime of inciting the public to hatred and hostility and humiliation, and that the investigation was being conducted meticulously.
RELEASED UNDER JUDICIAL CONTROL
Prof. Dr. Adnan Yüksel Gürüz, who was taken into custody as part of the investigation, was referred to the prosecutor's office. Gürüz was released by the judge he was brought before under judicial control conditions with a ban on leaving the country.