Serdar Sertçelik makes 'politician' claim in ABK case: 'I possess secret information'

Serdar Sertçelik, the "M7-coded" secret witness in the Ayhan Bora Kaplan investigation who was captured in Hungary, has changed the allegations that led to the arrest of the police chiefs who carried out the Kaplan operation.

According to the report by Asuman Aranca from T24; in the videos he released after fleeing, Sertçelik had claimed that police chiefs forced him to name certain politicians and ministers. However, in his testimony at the Budapest Capital Court, he claimed that he "possesses secret information that would affect multiple individuals involved in domestic politics." Sertçelik also alleged that being shot in the feet at a restaurant last November, while violating his house arrest, was an "assassination attempt." Claiming that "despite being promised protected status, security protection could not prevent the assassination attempt against him in November 2023," Sertçelik stated that "for this reason, he fled the country and went into hiding, and does not want to be extradited."

'THEY WANTED TO ADD NAMES' CLAIM

It was revealed that Sertçelik, one of the most important defendants in the Ayhan Bora Kaplan case—who was arrested on charges of being a criminal organization leader—had fled abroad despite being under house arrest and wearing an electronic ankle monitor. In the video posts he made after his flight, Sertçelik had announced that he was the M-7 coded secret witness whose name appeared in the Kaplan file, involving high-level judicial and police personnel. Sharing parts of his conversations with Ankara Organized Crime Branch Deputy Director Şevket Demircan, who carried out the Kaplan operation, Sertçelik had alleged a "coup" attempt, claiming he was pressured to add names such as Deputy Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and former Minister of Justice Bekir Bozdağ, Mücahit Aslan, former Minister of Justice Abdülhamit Gül, former Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca, and Sadık Soylu to his testimony. Following these statements by Sertçelik, police officers, including Ankara Deputy Provincial Police Chief Murat Çelik and Ankara Organized Crime Branch Deputy Director Şevket Demircan, were first suspended and later arrested.

8 QUESTIONS FROM HUNGARY

While the investigation launched by the prosecutor's office into the coup allegations continues, Sertçelik, for whom a red notice was issued, was captured in Hungary in May. Brought before a judge in the capital, Budapest, Sertçelik was temporarily detained until July 6. Hungary later sent a letter to the Ministry of Justice requesting answers to 8 questions prepared by them, citing that the 174-page extradition documents prepared for Sertçelik were found to be complex. The content of the letter also included the decision regarding Sertçelik's temporary detention and the testimony he gave at the Budapest Court.

'AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT WAS MADE'

According to information in the Budapest Capital Court's decision, Sertçelik testified in the opposite direction of his claims in the videos he released before his capture, where he said he was "forced by police officers to name certain individuals." In his testimony, Sertçelik claimed that he "possesses secret information that would affect multiple individuals involved in domestic politics." Claiming that being shot in the feet at a restaurant last November, while wearing an electronic ankle monitor and violating his house arrest, was an "assassination attempt," Sertçelik alleged that "despite being promised protected status, security protection could not prevent the assassination attempt against him in November 2023." Sertçelik stated that "for this reason, he fled the country and went into hiding, and does not want to be extradited."

HUNGARY DEMANDED GUARANTEES

According to the Budapest Court's documents, Sertçelik claimed that his "life is in danger" due to the secret information he possesses. For these reasons, the court requested that Turkey "provide details such as the charges in the extradition requests for the temporarily detained Sertçelik and the duration of potential sentences, whether a case has been opened regarding the charges against him, whether he was subjected to an assassination attempt while having secret witness status, and when and under what conditions he could be released." Requesting detailed information on "how the arrest was carried out to ensure that the rules and guarantees regarding the right to a fair trial are present," the Budapest Court also demanded a guarantee that "the defendant will not be subjected to torture, or inhuman and degrading treatment in the event of his extradition." The court notified that if no response is provided by July 6, Sertçelik will be released in accordance with the law.

'HE WAS REMOVED FROM THE WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAM DUE TO HIS OWN CULPABLE ACTIONS'

The Ankara 32nd High Criminal Court, which oversees the Kaplan case, responded to this request from Hungary on June 25 via the Ministry of Justice. Stating that the defendant "was placed under protected status due to the information he provided, but the protection decision was lifted because he violated protection measures through his own culpable actions," the Court reminded that Turkey is a party to the ECHR and that everyone has the right to a fair trial. Stating that fundamental rights are guaranteed at the constitutional level, the Court provided information regarding the sentences Sertçelik could receive and the time he could spend in prison.

'NO EVIDENCE REGARDING THE ASSASSINATION'

Details of the incident regarding Sertçelik's assassination claim were also included in detail in the Court's response. The response letter described the events as follows: "An investigation was conducted by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the incident that occurred in November 2023, which the defendant claims was an assassination attempt. In this investigation, the statements of the defendant, the defendant's friends, and other individuals present at the scene were taken. According to the information in the file, although the defendant was in the witness protection program on November 20, 2023, the date he was wounded by gunfire, he left his residence without notifying the security officers protecting him and met with his friends. Together with his friends, they went to a restaurant around 05:00 in the morning. Defendant Serdar's friends argued with other individuals at the restaurant. Due to this argument, shots were fired at the defendant's friends. Because shots were fired at the defendant's friends, the defendant's friends and other customers at the restaurant were wounded. The defendant was also wounded because he was at the scene with these individuals. No evidence was obtained in the file that the armed attack was specifically directed at the defendant. According to the evidence obtained, the defendant was wounded only because he was present at the scene. In other words, there is no evidence that the attack was an assassination attempt against him as the defendant claims. Furthermore, all other individuals were wounded in their feet in a way that would not be life-threatening. This fact also indicates that the incident was not actually intended to kill. In this respect, the defendant's assassination claim does not reflect the truth."

SERTÇELİK'S FINAL STATUS IS UNCERTAIN

The statements in the file regarding Sertçelik being shot were also added to the Court's response letter. The Court, which answered the questions of the Budapest Capital Court, requested Sertçelik's extradition. On the other hand, it was learned that no document has yet entered the Ankara 32nd High Criminal Court file regarding whether the temporary detention decision given for Sertçelik until July 6 has been extended or what the response to the extradition request is.