20.02.2025 01:20
TÜSİAD President Orhan Turan and High Advisory Council President Mehmet Ömer Arif Aras, who were investigated on charges of "publicly disseminating misleading information" and "attempting to influence a fair trial," gave their statements at the courthouse. After their statements, Turan and Aras were referred to court and were released with a travel ban and judicial control measures.
The Chairman of TÜSİAD, Orhan Turan, and the Chairman of the High Advisory Council, Mehmet Ömer Arif Aras, were referred to the duty magistrate with a request for judicial control measures in the form of a 'travel ban' after giving their statements at the Prosecutor's Office.
A criminal investigation had been initiated against TÜSİAD Chairman Orhan Turan and High Advisory Council Chairman Mehmet Ömer Arif Aras for the charges of 'publicly disseminating misleading information' and 'attempting to influence a fair trial' due to their statements made at the general assembly on February 13.
ARAS GAVE A 3-HOUR STATEMENT, TURAN GAVE A 1-HOUR STATEMENT
As part of the investigation, suspects Turan and Aras arrived at the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan under police escort to give their statements. Here, suspect Aras gave a statement for approximately 3 hours, while suspect Turan gave a statement for about 1 hour.
TRAVEL BAN IMPOSED
After giving their statements at the Prosecutor's Office, the suspects were brought before the duty magistrate with a request for judicial control measures in the form of a 'travel ban' due to the charge of 'publicly disseminating misleading information.'
After their statements at the Prosecutor's Office, a travel ban and judicial control decision were issued against Turan and Aras by the court.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Speaking at the TÜSİAD General Assembly, TÜSİAD YIK Chairman Ömer Aras stated, "Elected mayors are being removed from office, and trustees are being appointed in their place. An investigation is first initiated against a political party leader, and then they are arrested for a different reason." Regarding the cases against Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, Aras said, "Investigations are opened just minutes after a press conference regarding the statements made by a metropolitan mayor."
After criticizing the lack of sufficient oversight regarding the February 6 earthquakes and the Kartalkaya fire, and the "system malfunction," Aras stated, "The system must have a mechanism for self-correction. Those responsible must resign, be held accountable, and competent individuals must take their places."
In a second statement made by TÜSİAD following the investigation decision, it was stated, "We share our findings and recommendations, which we believe to be true, transparently within the framework of respect for democratic institutions and rules and the principle of participatory democracy, as our responsibility to this country."
Following these statements, an investigation was initiated against TÜSİAD YIK Chairman Ömer Aras for the charges of "attempting to influence a fair trial" and "publicly disseminating false information."
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in today's group meeting, stated regarding the issue, "Before moving on to TÜSİAD's provocatively excessive statements, it should be noted that in democracies, no one is free from criticism. If it is consistent and constructive, we have not and will not turn a deaf ear to criticisms."