12.03.2025 16:01
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office sent a second letter to Istanbul University regarding the investigation opened against Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on the grounds of the allegation that his university diploma is fake, requesting that the procedures be expedited in the context of the crime of "forgery of official documents."
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The investigation initiated by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the allegations that Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor İmamoğlu's diploma is "fake" is ongoing.
SECOND LETTER SENT
As part of the investigation, the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office sent a letter to the Istanbul University Rectorship for the second time, requesting that the relevant processes be expedited.
FIRST STATEMENT FROM THE UNIVERSITY
In a statement made by the university a few days ago, the following expressions were used: "The letter dated February 24, 2025, with investigation number 2025/44681 from the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and the letter titled 'Investigation File' dated February 27, 2025, from the Higher Education Council have reached our university. In this context, necessary examinations and processes will be established within our university based on the letter from the Higher Education Council, the letter from the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, and the findings in the 'Research Report' dated February 17, 2025, from the Higher Education Supervisory Board, and the results will be communicated to the relevant institutions and the public."
WHAT HAPPENED?
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office had launched an investigation for the crime of "forgery in official documents" based on reports that İBB President Ekrem İmamoğlu's diploma was fake and findings in the report prepared by the Higher Education Council regarding the falsity of his diploma.
İmamoğlu had been invited to the prosecutor's office to give a statement as part of the investigation.
The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, in its letter sent to Istanbul University regarding the investigation opened against İmamoğlu for the claim that his university diploma is fake, requested that the necessary processes be carried out as soon as possible to ensure that the operations to be established based on İmamoğlu's diploma are not contrary to the law.
WHAT DOES THE YÖK REPORT SAY?
The report prepared by the Higher Education Council regarding the investigation initiated about İmamoğlu's university diploma has also been included in the file.
In the report, it was stated that İmamoğlu had studied for 2 years in the English Program of Business Administration at the University College of Northern Cyprus (UCNC) during the period he transferred horizontally, and that his overall grade point average from all courses was 2.50, and the following was recorded:
"It is understood that he meets the conditions specified in Article 5 of the regulation regarding horizontal transfers at the associate and undergraduate levels among higher education institutions; however, it is also noted that the University College of Northern Cyprus was not one of the universities recognized by YÖK in 1990 when the transfer was made, and the recognition of the relevant university was only decided by the Higher Education Executive Board in 1993. It is understood that UCNC was not among the universities where horizontal transfers could be made in 1990."
"RECOGNITION WAS ONLY GRANTED TO EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN UNIVERSITY"
In the report, it was stated that based on the letters from YÖK dated 1988 and 1992, only Eastern Mediterranean University was recognized among the higher education institutions operating in the TRNC, and it was emphasized that "Considering the aforementioned correspondence, it is understood that the condition of recognition of higher education institutions abroad is sought in horizontal transfer processes, and therefore, it has been observed that the horizontal transfer processes from UCNC, which has no recognition, were not carried out in accordance with the decisions of the Higher Education Council by the Dean's Office of the Faculty of Business Administration at Istanbul University."
The report included information that in the decision of the Istanbul University Faculty of Business Administration's Board of Directors dated June 27, 1990, the horizontal transfer quotas were 15 for the second year, 10 for the third year, and 10 for the fourth year for the Business Administration (Turkish) Department, and 10 for the second year, 5 for the third year, and 5 for the fourth year for the Business Administration (English) Department, totaling 55 students.
In the announcement published in the Milliyet newspaper by the Istanbul University Rectorship on July 30, 1990, it was stated that for the Business Administration Turkish program, there were 15 quotas for the second year, 15 for the third year, and 10 for the fourth year, and for the Business Administration English program, there were 10 for the second year, 5 for the third year, and 5 for the fourth year, totaling 40 for the Business Administration Turkish program and 20 for the Business Administration (English) program, and it was emphasized that applications for horizontal transfer could be made until the end of official working hours on September 14, 1990.
The report stated that in the decision of the Istanbul University Faculty of Business Administration's Board of Directors dated September 12, 1990, the total quota of 60 announced separately for the Business Administration Turkish and Business Administration English programs was increased to 80 by increasing it by one-third for horizontal transfers from universities abroad.
"NO LEGAL JUSTIFICATION FOUND"
It was stated in the report that the quotas for the Business Administration Turkish and Business Administration English programs were combined in the Business Administration English program, and in the decision of the faculty board meeting dated September 12, 1990, it was explained that the horizontal transfer applications of 51 students who applied for the Business Administration English program from higher education institutions abroad were accepted, and the following expressions were included:
"From the documents obtained and sent to us by the relevant university rectorship, it could not be found a legal justification for how the university determined the horizontal transfer quotas for Business Administration Turkish and Business Administration English within the scope of the relevant legislation, how the quota transfer between the Business Administration Turkish and Business Administration English programs was made, and why 51 of the determined quota was used for the Business Administration English program, despite the fact that it was stated that horizontal transfer applications would be accepted until the end of official working hours on Friday, September 14, why the Faculty Board's meeting on September 12, 1990, with decision number 24 evaluated and concluded the horizontal transfer applications before the application deadline.
Based on all these evaluations, it has been concluded that the subject of the investigation was not conducted in accordance with the decisions and procedures of the Higher Education Council regarding recognition, horizontal transfer, horizontal transfer quotas, announcement periods, and processes related to the acceptance of horizontal transfers by the Dean's Office of the Faculty of Business Administration at Istanbul University."
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