Decision made to continue Muhittin Böcek's detention

The second hearing of the case against Mayor Muhittin Böcek, who was suspended from duty as part of an investigation into corruption and bribery allegations at the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, has concluded. During the proceedings, in which a total of 41 defendants are being tried, three of whom are in custody, the court panel announced its interim decision. While defendant Fazlı Ateş was released, it was decided that the detention of Muhittin Böcek and Gökhan Böcek would continue.

Judicial control measures applied to some of the other defendants will remain in effect. The court also decided to file a criminal complaint with the Antalya Chief Public Prosecutor's Office to investigate potential bribery charges involving a group of individuals, including a defendant and several people identified as victims of the alleged crime. The next hearing was adjourned to July 7.

During the hearing, Antalya Metropolitan Mayor Muhittin Böcek stated in his defense that he was innocent, saying:

"Since the day the hearings began, I have carefully listened to all statements from complainants, suspects, defendants, and witnesses regarding the accusations directed at me. I have also carefully read the previous statements. In these accusations, no complainant has directly stated that I threatened or coerced them."

"In fact, the majority of these individuals have clearly revealed that they did not have any meetings with me, neither at the time they claimed nor afterwards. While the complainants did not even mention my name in their initial statements, they later made allegations against me in an impossible manner, either to get released after being arrested or out of fear of being arrested."

"Both through these attitudes and the answers they gave to the questions directed at them, they fell into contradictions. In summary, I am of the opinion that the crimes attributed to me in the indictment have clearly not occurred."

Furthermore, in the continuation of his defense, Böcek expressed that the accusations against him were politically motivated, noting that the allegations circulating in the public were distressing, that his assets were registered in the name of his father, Mustafa Böcek, and that he had fulfilled his asset declaration requirements completely to date. Emphasizing his trust in the judiciary and state institutions during the court process, Böcek added:

"I have submitted complete asset declarations since April 18, 1999. All my assets are the remaining 107 decares registered in the name of my father, Mustafa Böcek. What was written in my asset declaration has saddened me. The people of Antalya know that I am a philanthropist. I am being subjected to character assassination as if there were an unexplained, exorbitant increase in my wealth. Our case is political."

"For days, despite the confidentiality order in the Antalya public sphere and the presumption of innocence, information that even my lawyers did not have was used by 2-3 'hired pens' to smear me, committing all kinds of baseness despite the confidentiality order."

"My legal action against them will continue. In fact, because I trusted my state, my nation, and our judiciary, I gave the password to my mobile phone without hesitation. I will write this to our Minister as well; Akın Gürlek said we would be the minister for 86 million. I will ask him too. A person has a family, children, grandchildren, and a private life. I am very sad about these things."

"I am angry and hurt at the same time. How does this happen? I will tell our Minister. I will ask him too. Can such a thing happen? A person has a family, children, grandchildren. They have a private life."

At the end of the hearing, Böcek requested the lifting of his detention and summarized his health condition as follows:

"The report received from the medical board listed my chronic illnesses, but the conclusion part saddened me greatly. I had the most severe case of COVID in Turkey. I have been doing my job for 32 years. I have never taken sick leave once. Everyone knows us, God is great."

"If I am well, why did the number of medications I use increase from 12 to 22 since I entered prison? 16 of these medications are related to my chronic illness. My other serious condition is sleep apnea. The equipment I need to use for sleep apnea is not suitable for the airless conditions of the prison."

"At this stage, having been in detention for 10 months, the statements of the defendants, complainants, and witnesses have been completed, so there is no possibility of tampering with evidence. I request my release. I have never caused public loss to my municipality. Justice is the foundation of the state, and the honorable presiding judge and the panel have shown this."