Former Sarıyer Mayor Şükrü Genç arrested

Within the scope of an investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office Terrorism Crimes Investigation Bureau, it was determined that a 'Needs Committee' (İKOM) had been established to meet the needs of and provide financial support to the DHKP/C armed terrorist organization.

In the investigation conducted regarding allegations that financial support was provided to the DHKP/C between 2014 and 2016, that the organization was funded through another company, and that money was transferred to the organization by 4 district municipalities between 2014 and 2015, 34 suspects were detained.

Following the completion of their procedures at the police station, the suspects were referred to the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan. 26 suspects, including former Sarıyer Mayor Şükrü Genç and Melih Morsümbül, who was the Chief of Staff of the Ataşehir Municipality at the time of the incident and is currently the Deputy Mayor of Manisa Şehzadeler, were brought before the Criminal Judgeship of Peace with a request for arrest after their prosecution procedures were completed. 8 suspects were brought before the judgeship with a request for judicial control measures.

ŞÜKRÜ GENÇ ARRESTED

Şükrü Genç was arrested by the court he was brought before.

In his statement to the police, Şükrü Genç said, 'I did not provide any financial support to members of the DHKP/C Armed Terrorist Organization. It was stated that there was a building in the neighborhood that state institutions informed us was built on behalf of the organization and that there was a demolition order for this building.

Upon this, a date was set between the institutions for the demolition of the building, which had been previously identified by the police as being built on behalf of the organization, together with the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB), the Sarıyer Municipality, of which I was the mayor at the time, and the police forces, and the police forces took the necessary measures at the specified place and date.

On the day the demolition was to take place, the İBB did not participate in the demolition and did not send any vehicles, citing that their vehicles were faulty. The demolition of the building belonging to the organization in the specified neighborhood was carried out with the vehicles belonging to the Sarıyer District Municipality, of which I was the mayor, under the escort of the police forces,' he stated.