Claim of 'Erdoğan's reaction to judiciary member regarding İmamoğlu': Denial comes from the DMM

It was alleged that President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reacted to a member of the judiciary involved in the corruption investigation conducted against Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu by saying, "I thought your file was very strong?" According to the claim in question, the judiciary member replied, "Sir, the main suspects are fugitives. If we can bring them in, then you will see the real deal."

Journalist Deniz Zeyrek stated in his article titled "Is Erdoğan satisfied with the result?" published in Nefes Gazetesi that he obtained this inside information from sources close to the government. However, he emphasized that the claims could not be directly verified because the sources who shared this information did not want their names to be disclosed and another source had reservations.

Zeyrek included the following statements in his article:

“Actually, I could have written directly that 'President Tayyip Erdoğan is not satisfied with the point reached after the Ekrem İmamoğlu operation.'

As a justification for this, I could have pointed to the claims that Erdoğan reacted to the judiciary member managing the İmamoğlu operation by saying, 'I thought your file was very strong?' and that the judiciary member said, 'Sir, the main guys are fugitives. If we can bring them in, then you will see the real deal.'

However, I cannot do this. Because my source close to the government who told me this does not want me to provide this information by citing them as a source. Another source of mine who says they have the same information cannot make a statement because they are afraid.”

Denial from the DMM

The Presidency's Directorate of Communications Center for Combating Disinformation (DMM) announced that the claims in question are not true. The following statements were included in the post made on the DMM's social media account:

“The claims appearing in some press outlets regarding the corruption investigation into the İBB, stating that 'President Erdoğan called a member of the judiciary and said, I thought your file was very strong,' are not true.

No such conversation as alleged has taken place between our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and any member of the judiciary.

This discourse reflected to the public is fabricated and baseless. Do not give credence to claims that intend to harm the independence of the judiciary and aim to make judicial processes a subject of political debate.”

News Source: 12punto