The statement of İmamoğlu's lawyer has emerged.

28.03.2025 20:10

The statement of Mehmet Pehlivan, who is the lawyer of Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was suspended from his position as the Mayor of Istanbul following his arrest in a corruption investigation and is currently under judicial control due to the investigation, has emerged. In his statement, Pehlivan stated that the 2.4 million TL he sent to the Reform Foundation was a 'donation.'

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The attorney of Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was removed from the position of Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) and arrested, has been identified as Mehmet Pehlivan, who is under judicial control measures as part of an investigation against him.

"I KNOW ÇALIŞKAN AS A GOOD INTELLECTUAL"

When asked how he knew the suspect Mehmet Ali Çalışkan, who was arrested in the "terror" investigation against IMM, Pehlivan stated, "I know Mehmet Ali Çalışkan as a good intellectual. I do not have any prior power of attorney relationship or commercial relationship with him." Pehlivan denied the allegations in the MASAK report that he sent 1.5 million lira to Çalışkan.

2 MILLION 400 THOUSAND TL DONATION

When asked whether he had any relationship with the Reform Foundation, Pehlivan indicated that he was a member of the Foundation due to being İmamoğlu's attorney. Pehlivan stated regarding his financial contributions to the Reform Foundation, "I am a member and donor of the Reform Foundation. I sent 2 million 400 thousand as a donation."

DENIED THE ALLEGATIONS

Pehlivan argued that the investigation was initiated due to his legal activities in previous investigations and denied the charges against him.

WHAT HAD HAPPENED?

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office's Money Laundering Crime Investigation Bureau had initiated an investigation against Mehmet Pehlivan for the crime of "money laundering of assets derived from crime" and under the "Law on the Prevention of Money Laundering of Proceeds of Crime." It was learned that the MASAK report contained information about financial transactions related to the suspect Mehmet Ali Çalışkan, who was arrested in the terror investigation against IMM, and the Reform Foundation.

Pehlivan was detained during the night as part of the investigation. After completing his procedures at the police station, Pehlivan was then transferred to the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan. The duty magistrate decided to impose a judicial control measure on Pehlivan in the form of a "travel ban."