İstanbul’s chief prosecutor visits pro-government media conglomerate

Newly appointed İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek paid a visit to Turkuvaz Medya, a prominent pro-government media conglomerate, meeting with senior executives. 

Gürlek was received by Sabah newspaper’s News Coordinator Abdurrahman Şimşek, News Director Nazif Karaman, and Administrative Affairs Coordinator Yaşar Dahil. A Haber General Manager Abdülhalik Çimen and Intelligence Chief Ramazan Almaçayır joined the hour-long meeting as well.

The Turkuvaz business group, owned by the Albayrak family, has close ties to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as its CEO, Serhat Albayrak, is the brother of Erdoğan's son-in-law and former Finance Minister Berat Albayrak.

The visit to Turkuvaz Medya followed Gürlek’s Nov 1 courtesy visit to Ekol TV, a recently founded network owned by Azerbaijani billionaire Mübariz Mansimov, who was implicated in the 2021 allegations by the exiled whistleblower Sedat Peker. Gürlek was welcomed by the broadcaster’s chairperson Emrah Doğru and toured the studio facilities.

Gürlek’s appointment as chief prosecutor on Oct 2 by the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) has drawn attention due to his involvement as a judge in high-profile political cases, where he issued rulings against opposition politicians, journalists, and academics, often viewed as controversial. He had been serving as the deputy justice minister since June 2022.

Most recently, following his appointment as the chief prosecutor, Gürlek led the investigation against Ahmet Özer, mayor of İstanbul’s Esenyurt district, who was suspended from duty and arrested on “terrorism” charges. Leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), Özgür Özel, called Gürlek a “mobile guillotine” used by the government. (VK)