Cooperative case: Another arrest warrant issued for 3 people, including Tunç Soyer

As part of an investigation launched by the İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, which includes allegations of "obtaining benefits" specifically through the S.S. Business People Gaziemir Housing Cooperative, many individuals were recently taken into custody. Following an operation conducted regarding urban transformation projects implemented by the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality's company, İZBETON AŞ, in the Gaziemir district on charges of "embezzlement, qualified fraud, forgery of official documents, and neglect of supervisory duty," arrest warrants were issued for 10 people on April 9, and 9 of them were apprehended and arrested. One person, who was determined to be abroad, could not be located.

On April 12, 9 people, including Republican People's Party (CHP) Ankara Provincial Chair Ümit Erkol, were arrested, increasing the number of detainees within the scope of the file.

In another phase of the investigation, it was learned that former İzmir Metropolitan Mayor Tunç Soyer, former CHP İzmir Provincial Chair Şenol Aslanoğlu, and former İZBETON General Manager Heval Savaş Kaya, who were previously arrested in the Örnekköy Housing Cooperative file, were also arrested after giving their statements within the framework of the Gaziemir investigation.

Following these developments, a written statement was issued by Tunç Soyer's lawyers. The statement noted, "In the process that began with a dawn raid on July 1, 2025, a lawsuit was filed against 65 people, 11 of whom were under arrest, regarding the cooperative model in urban transformation. In the hearing of the filed lawsuit held on January 5, 2026, a release decision was issued for all defendants. When it was understood that Tunç Soyer and Heval Savaş Kaya, who remained under arrest in the filed lawsuit, would be released, they were included in an investigation regarding the internal affairs of the cooperatives in a way that is legally impossible, and another arrest warrant was issued for them on December 30."

The statement also mentioned that MASAK reports showed no financial transactions for Tunç Soyer, stating, "In the more than four months that have passed, 3 expert reports have been obtained in this second file, not a single piece of evidence has been presented against Tunç Soyer, and not a single person has spoken against him. While an indictment was expected to be prepared in the second file, the prosecutor of the file was changed. On Sunday, April 12, the MASAK report regarding all cooperatives and İzbeton was entered into the file. No financial transactions involving a single person were found for Tunç Soyer in the MASAK report. In the same process, the files were separated again, and it was decided to open a separate file for each cooperative. The second file was about the cooperative in Örnekköy 4th Stage. The 3rd file was initiated regarding the cooperative in Gaziemir 1st Stage."

Continuing the statement, the lawyers claimed that no grounds for any accusation against Soyer existed and used the following expressions:

"While it was expected that Tunç Soyer would not be included in the investigation within the scope of this file, he was suddenly taken for a prosecutor's statement last night. Tunç Soyer first wanted to understand what crime he was being accused of. Despite the persistent questions of his lawyers, no answer could be obtained. It is worth noting here that the cooperatives under investigation are not the municipality's cooperatives. They are cooperatives formed by people coming together, which have signed contracts with the municipality's company, İZBETON."

"Tunç Soyer does not know the cooperative managers, auditors, or the subcontractors the cooperatives work with. Neither he, nor any of his relatives or acquaintances, are members of any cooperative. Under these circumstances, it is not understood how he is being tried to be included in an 'embezzlement' crime within a cooperative. While it is established by a Council of State decision that he cannot be questioned as a mayor, no answer is given as to in what capacity he is being included in the investigation."

"THIS DECISION HAS BECOME A NEW ‘RESERVE ARREST’"

In the statement, the latest developments were criticized with the phrase, "This latest decision has gone down in history as the arrest of a reserve arrest," and it was noted that the justification for the decision could not be explained.

What Tunç Soyer experienced during his defense was conveyed as follows:

"Tunç Soyer first wanted to learn what crime he was being accused of; despite the persistent questions of his lawyers, no answer was received. 'Judge, tell me one document with my signature, tell me one financial transaction, tell me just one, so I can understand what I am being accused of.' When no answer came from the judge and he was asked to make his defense, Tunç Soyer said: 'I have no defense because I do not know what I am being accused of.' We are angry, but we are not discouraged. Because we know that if justice is the foundation of the state, this injustice will not benefit those who have severed their ties with justice and law."

News Source: 12punto