Presenter Erhan Çelik issues statement following wife's suspicious death

Following the death of Obstetrician and Gynecologist Dr. Özlem Gültekin at her own clinic, her husband, presenter Erhan Çelik, who was in the process of divorcing her, has responded to allegations in the public eye. Çelik stated that he had remained silent until now out of consideration for the future of his 6-year-old son and the memory of Gültekin.

Arguing that a "perception operation" is being conducted against him, Çelik said, "I was so patient, I was so patient that I felt like I would crack like stone, yet I still said nothing." Stating that they had made a joint statement with the family from the very first day, Çelik said that despite this, speculations have continued.

Çelik also raised striking allegations regarding the suspicious nature of Gültekin's death. He claimed that in their initial statements, three staff members working at her clinic said that Gültekin had spent the last two days at the clinic and had taken propofol, which is used in anesthesia, on the day of the incident.

Claiming that cleaning was done at the scene before the police arrived, Çelik argued that some materials serving as evidence were discarded and that crime scene investigation teams found them in a trash container. Stating that claims were also made that the clinic's cameras "were not working," Çelik alleged that there was a previous declaration in another case stating that the cameras were indeed functional.

Çelik said he accidentally learned about Gültekin's process of using anesthetic substances in 2023 via a home security camera. Stating that he shared records from phones and computers regarding how these substances were obtained and who administered them with the prosecutor's office, Çelik expressed that he had made efforts for her treatment both domestically and abroad since 2023.

Stating that he was unsuccessful, Çelik reported that he applied to the Istanbul 13th Family Court in January 2025 and presented evidence regarding Gültekin's condition. Çelik said he requested a confidentiality order during the court and prosecution processes and did not share sensitive images with the public out of consideration for his son's future.

Addressing the blackmail allegation in his statement, Çelik explained that a person working for Gültekin reached out to him to sell some images, upon which he went to the police to report the situation. Stating that he cooperated with the police to catch the person in the act during the meeting, Çelik noted that this incident took place 6-7 months before Gültekin's death.

Arguing that the incident in question was distorted in some news reports, Çelik denied allegations that he tried to purchase the images. "I reported it, I prevented it, but no! Because this is how a perception operation is conducted," said Çelik, adding that he would not forgive those who spoke against him.