05.05.2025 11:21
A new indictment has been prepared against TÜSİAD President Orhan Turan and High Advisory Council President Mehmet Ömer Arif Aras for the crime of 'attempting to influence a fair trial' in a chain of offenses. The indictment requests that Turan and Aras be subjected to judicial fines.
The investigation into the crime of 'attempting to influence fair trial' against Orhan Turan, the President of the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (TÜSİAD), and Mehmet Ömer Arif Aras, the President of the High Advisory Council, has been completed. In the indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was stated that the suspects Turan and Aras made assessments regarding political, legal, judicial, and administrative events of which they were unaware of the content.
"THEY CREATED PERCEPTION IN MANY INVESTIGATIONS"
In the prepared indictment, it was noted that the suspects Turan and Aras created perception regarding the fire incident in Bolu Kartalkaya, which resulted in the loss of 78 lives, related to earthquakes, the landslide at the gold mine in the İliç district of Erzincan, certain mayors, the appointment of trustees to replace mayors, the General President of the Victory Party, Ümit Özdağ, the manager Ayşe Barım, and the detained president of İBB, Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was removed from his position. They stated that there was a climate of concern and distrust in society, emphasizing the rule of law and independent judiciary, and that the principle of fair trial and adherence to the rule of law were not respected in ongoing investigations.
"THEY PROVIDED MISLEADING INFORMATION BY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THEIR POSITIONS"
In the indictment, it was reported that the suspects stated that a trust problem towards the Republic of Turkey had arisen, and that they influenced the prosecutors, judges, experts, and witnesses carrying out their judicial duties in the ongoing investigations and inquiries, preventing those performing judicial duties from maintaining their impartiality in the public eye. They also hindered the evaluation of evidence related to the disputes subject to investigation or prosecution and the formation of a conscientious opinion in an environment free from all influences. Furthermore, it was stated that they carried out this by taking advantage of their position as the president of an association with many members, using misleading and false information of a suggestive and guiding nature in the field of economy.
"THEY GAVE MISLEADING INFORMATION TO MANIPULATE THOSE PERFORMING JUDICIAL DUTIES"
In the indictment, it was stated that the words of the suspects Turan and Aras exceeded the limits of freedom of thought and expression, and that it was not possible to evaluate their words within the scope of the right to news or information. They provided information that disrupted public peace regarding the unlawfulness and trust problem, and gave false and misleading information to manipulate those performing judicial duties in legal matters. On the other hand, it was reported that they undermined the sentiment regarding the experiences in the country based on a legal security ground founded on peace in society.
REQUEST FOR JUDICIAL FINE
In the prepared indictment, it was requested that the suspects Mehmet Ömer Arif Aras and Orhan Turan be sentenced to a judicial fine of not less than 50 days for 'attempting to influence fair trial' in a repeated manner. The indictment was sent to the Istanbul 28th Criminal Court of First Instance, as it was related to the case file in which Turan and Aras were requested to be sentenced to imprisonment ranging from 1 year and 10 months to 5 years and 6 months for the crime of 'publicly disseminating misleading information.'
THE FIRST INVESTIGATION WAS FOR "PUBLICLY DISSEMINATING FALSE INFORMATION"
In February, TÜSİAD Board Chairman Orhan Turan and TÜSİAD High Advisory Council (YİK) Chairman Ömer Aras were taken to the police station under police escort and gave statements. An investigation was initiated against the two individuals due to their speeches at the TÜSİAD General Assembly, and they were accused of "publicly disseminating false information."