03.11.2026 17:00
The hearing of the case in which singer İlyas Yalçıntaş is being tried and faces a prison sentence on the charge of “trafficking in or supplying narcotic or stimulant substances” was held. The court decided to release Yalçıntaş, who has been detained since July. The hearing was postponed to December 15.
The first hearing of the case in which singer İlyas Yalçıntaş is being tried for the offense of “trafficking in or supplying narcotic or stimulant substances” and faces a prison sentence of no less than 10 years was held at the Istanbul Justice Palace 19th High Criminal Court. Detained defendant İlyas Yalçıntaş and his lawyers attended the hearing.
“6 MONTHS AGO I USED COCAINE IN ENGLAND TO TRY IT”
In his defense, detained defendant İlyas Yalçıntaş said, “I am a well-known singer. I feel ashamed and sad to be facing such a case. I reject the offense of ‘trafficking in or supplying narcotic or stimulant substances.’ I say with sorrow that I was a cannabis user. Six months ago, I used cocaine with a British citizen in England to try it. When I used it, it made me extremely uncomfortable. Because I am someone followed by the public and do not want to set a bad example for my followers, in my first statement to the prosecutor’s office I denied that I used narcotic substances. However, I corrected this matter in my statement at the Criminal Judgeship of Peace. I used narcotic substances before, but I did not supply substances to anyone and did not use them together with others. I did not attend parties; I used it alone at home. I kept the precision scale at home because I am involved in fitness; I measure food. As for my messages, I am someone who always uses street jargon with friends I am close to. The claim that parties were held at my home is not true. I reject what the informant said. I am under very difficult conditions in prison; mice crawled over me. I never think I deserve this punishment,” he said.
“I AM TALKING ABOUT TOBACCO”
When the prosecutor asked what the question “Do you have the possibility to dissolve it?” in his messages meant, Yalçıntaş said, “It is a correspondence I had with my assistant. He does all my shopping. I was using tobacco at that time. The correspondence here concerns the tobacco my assistant will buy. The correspondence may have been misunderstood. The correspondence here concerns the use of tobacco. The thing I call ‘my box’ is my post box. It is quite large. It is a rather large box where my assistant leaves my belongings after shopping,” he said.
“WE COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING ELSE THAT COULD BE A CRIMINAL ELEMENT”
Witness A.S. said, “I serve as a specialist sergeant in the Narcotics Crimes unit of the Istanbul Provincial Gendarmerie Command. I know the defendant due to the incident. I have no knowledge of the proceedings against him; I was only present during the search. The place we searched was a duplex house belonging to the defendant. In the bedroom there was an empty jar, two drug grinders and a jar; in the kitchen there was a precision scale. There were crumbs inside the jar. Because we did not know what it was, we sent it for examination. Apart from this, we could not find anything else that could constitute a criminal element. I have no knowledge or observation regarding the defendant’s use or supply of narcotic substances,” he said.
DECISION MADE TO RELEASE YALÇINTAŞ
The court panel, in its interim decision, ruled for the release of defendant İlyas Yalçıntaş under the judicial control measure consisting of the obligation to sign. The hearing was adjourned until December 15 to remedy the missing matters.
FROM THE INDICTMENT
In the indictment prepared by the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, it was stated that an investigation was launched against singer İlyas Yalçıntaş based on intelligence information that some figures known to the public used narcotic or stimulant substances and offered them to each other. During searches at Yalçıntaş’s address, 2 cannabis grinder devices, a precision scale, and a jar containing plant crumbs were seized; it was conveyed that his conversations in the messages on his phone with people recorded as “Aytaç Kartt” and “Mami Rodi” were assessed as being aimed at drug trafficking. In the indictment, it was recorded that in his statement Yalçıntaş said he did not use drugs, that the substance in the jar was thyme, that the grinders were a gift from his friend, and that the precision scale was an item he used to monitor his diet. It was stated that in blood and hair samples, the active ingredient of cannabis, THC metabolite, and cocaine were detected. A prison sentence of no less than 10 years was sought for Yalçıntaş for the offense of “trafficking in or supplying narcotic or stimulant substances.” The indictment, accepted by the Bakırköy High Criminal Court, was sent to the Istanbul 19th High Criminal Court after a lack of jurisdiction decision was issued because the defendant’s address fell outside the jurisdiction of the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.