Release of Tanju Özcan on charges of sexual assault

29.06.2026 18:50

Tanju Özcan, who was arrested under the 'extortion by coercion' investigation and suspended from his position as Bolu Mayor, has been released in the investigation where he was arrested on allegations of sexual assault against a female municipal employee. However, his detention will continue under the 'extortion' investigation.

A new investigation was launched last month against Tanju Özcan, who was arrested and suspended from his post as Bolu Mayor as part of an 'extortion by coercion' investigation.

MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEE WOMAN BECOMES COMPLAINANT, ARRESTED FOR AGGRAVATED SEXUAL ASSAULT

Öznur Ç., a Bolu Municipality employee who was a victim in the 'Threat' and 'Blackmail' cases where Özcan was being tried, applied to the Bolu Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, making new allegations against Özcan and filing a complaint.

In her supplementary statement, Öznur Ç. claimed that about 5-6 months after starting work at Bolu Municipality, Tanju Özcan told her he liked her, and alleged that she met with Özcan multiple times for fear of being fired.

Öznur Ç. stated that initially Özcan tried to sit her next to him and sought physical contact, saying, 'When he held my hand, I would push his hand away and leave the room. I couldn't tell anyone about these situations because I was facing the big mayor.'

Tanju Özcan was arrested as part of an investigation launched on charges of 'Aggravated sexual assault by abusing the influence provided by public office' following Öznur Ç.'s supplementary statement to the prosecutor's office.

COURT ACCEPTS OBJECTION

Özcan's lawyers filed an objection with the Bolu 3rd Criminal Court of First Instance for the lifting of his detention on these charges. The court, evaluating the objection, decided to lift Özcan's detention on this charge.

In its reasoning, the court stated: 'There is a forensic examination report regarding the sexual assault of the victim, but given the time elapsed, a report confirming that the complainant was subjected to sexual assault could not be obtained, nor is it possible to obtain one; there are no impartial witnesses or evidence regarding the incident in question; it is established that a dispute arose between the parties due to the ongoing trial in case file number 2024/214 of the Bolu 6th Criminal Court of First Instance; thus, the allegations of the parties against each other, amounting to criminal accusations, cannot alone be considered evidence for conviction or strong criminal suspicion; moreover, considering that the suspect was arrested on March 3, 2026, under a separate ongoing investigation and remains in detention, there can be no question of a likelihood of the suspect exerting pressure on the complainant or witnesses, tampering with evidence, destroying, concealing, altering evidence, or fleeing; based on the evidence examined and explained within the scope of the investigation file, there is no strong suspicion that the complainant did not consent to the incident in question; a detention order may only be issued if there is concrete evidence indicating the existence of strong criminal suspicion and a ground for detention; if it is not proportionate to the importance of the matter or the expected penalty or security measure, a detention order cannot be issued; the complainant's statement alone cannot be accepted as evidence between parties found to be in a dispute; moreover, given that detention is a measure and the right not to be stigmatized is a requirement of the rule of law, and considering that in cases where the possibility of an acquittal is greater than the possibility of a conviction within the scope of the investigation, a detention order cannot be issued, it is understood that the conditions for detention regulated in Articles 100/1 and 100/2-last of Law No. 5271 (CMK) have not been met; therefore, the objection filed by the suspect's defense counsel is accepted, and the suspect's detention is lifted.'