12.02.2026 19:41
In the trial of 13 defendants, including Mustafa Kemal Zengin, who threatened the public prosecutor Yavuz Engin conducting the "Newborn Gang" investigation, the opinion was announced. The prosecutor requested a prison sentence of up to 8 years for the defendant Mustafa Kemal Zengin. The hearing was postponed to February 17 for the defendants to prepare their defense against the opinion.
Thirteen defendants, including Mustafa Kemal Zengin, who threatened prosecutor Yavuz Engin in his office during the investigation phase of the Newborn Gang case, appeared before the judge.
In the hearing at the Bakırköy 21st High Criminal Court, detained defendant Mustafa Kemal Zengin and another defendant, Muhammed Emin Orhan, who is detained for another crime, participated via the Audio and Video Information System (SEGBİS). In the hearing, five non-detained defendants, including Aylin Arslantatar, the complainant Beyda Nur Danış, and the attorneys of the parties were present.
"I SAW MUSTAFA KEMAL ZENGİN 2-3 TIMES"
Complainant Beyda Nur Danış stated, "I have known Aylin sister for 20 years because she is a friend of my mother. I had a case related to complainant Halil Emre Yılmaz. It was a case regarding a threat I received from his family. We called Aylin sister to have a lawyer. During this process, I went to Aylin sister's office. When I went there, I saw Mustafa Kemal Zengin two or three times. I met Mustafa Kemal Zengin as a friend of Aylin sister. Mustafa Kemal Zengin started to take control of my issues. Even though I changed my number, the threats continued. Mustafa Kemal Zengin told me, 'We will talk, we will solve this issue. Don't be afraid. If necessary, I will talk to the other side as well.'
For this reason, my mother sent my and Halil Emre Yılmaz's numbers to Aylin Arslantatar. She sent them to Mustafa Kemal Zengin for him to have a meeting. My number was given just to establish communication. My mobile phone number was already with Aylin Arslantatar; it was sent to Mustafa Kemal Zengin in case something happened. I was scared because I was pressured during my statement at the Büyükçekmece Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, and my conversations were intercepted. For this reason, I said that I was a complainant. I am not a complainant. I do not want to participate in the case," she said.
"I WOULD KNOW MUSTAFA KEMAL ZENGİN AS A UNDERSECRETARY"
Witness Zeynep Tuhan stated, "I know defendant Aylin Arslantatar from the office where I worked as a lawyer assistant in 2017-2018. Over time, a close friendship developed between us. I know Tarık Arslantatar because he is Aylin's brother. Mustafa Kemal Zengin had a file related to his nephew. Aylin sister was the lawyer in that file. I would know Mustafa Kemal Zengin as an undersecretary. I know that Aylin sister and Yavuz Engin are close friends. When we had girl-to-girl conversations, she sometimes showed me her messages with Yavuz Engin. I have witnessed them talking on the phone many times. When Yavuz Engin was assigned to the terrorism bureau, he sent her chocolates and flowers. Aylin and I used to talk on the phone frequently; she would tell me many of her troubles. There is already a phone conversation reflected in the file.
In this conversation, while Aylin sister was talking about a prosecutor who received threats, she initially did not tell me that the prosecutor was Yavuz. In the conversation, Aylin explained what she heard from Mustafa Kemal Zengin regarding the prosecutor. She even mentioned that she decided to tell Yavuz Engin about what she should do based on what she heard, and that Yavuz Engin asked her for help. She even told me that the prosecutor asked her what she should do regarding the detained person mentioned as being threatened (Tuğçe Toptemel) and that she replied, 'Do whatever you want.' When Aylin sister first explained the incident, I reacted by saying that you cannot help everyone. In other conversations, Aylin sister told me that she learned about the prosecutor's threat from Mustafa Kemal Zengin. You know that Mustafa Kemal Zengin has a very wide circle; he told me about the prosecutor's threat incident. Yavuz Engin had an interest in Aylin sister. They were friends and had other matters as well. Aylin sister sometimes received information regarding the files in Büyükçekmece," she said.
"I DID NOT SEE THAT HE WAS THREATENED"
Yavuz Engin's court clerk O.Ö. stated in his witness testimony, "I worked with Yavuz for about 2-2.5 years. I did not see that he was threatened, but during the period we were working on the newborn file, prosecutor Engin's phone rang. Engin put the phone on speaker and started talking. The voice on the phone said, 'Yavuz, we need to talk, you have arrested someone, they are very angry with you. These people are very dangerous; they know everything about you.' Upon this, prosecutor Yavuz Engin took the phone off the speaker, went to the window, and started talking; they talked for a long time. After the phone call ended, I asked what the matter was. The prosecutor told me that the caller was a lawyer named Aylin and stated that they were working on the newborn release. He said to me, 'This is not a normal call at all; let's take notes about this.' That's all I know."
"IF IT WERE TODAY, I WOULD STILL PROTECT YAVUZ"
Defendant Aylin Aslantatar said, "I am being declared guilty because I acted with the instinct to protect babies. It is clear and evident that I approached him as a friend. If it were today, I would still protect Yavuz. I fulfilled my civic duty. I request the removal of my judicial control measure."
REQUESTED PENALTIES HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED
The prosecutor requested a prison sentence of 2 to 4 years for defendant Mustafa Kemal Zengin for the crime of 'illegally obtaining personal data' and a total of 4 to 8 years for the crime of 'resisting to perform a duty.' For defendant Aylin Arslantatar, a prison sentence of 2 to 4 years for the crime of 'illegally obtaining personal data' was requested.
HEARING ADJOURNED
It was requested that a verdict of acquittal be given for the other 11 defendants. The hearing was adjourned to February 17 for the defendants to prepare their defense against the indictment.