İrem Derici's fiancé arrested

Singer İrem Derici’s DJ fiancé, İsmail Melih Kunukçu, has been arrested as part of an illegal betting investigation conducted by the Gaziantep Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

It was stated that the investigation covers various allegations, including facilitating betting, allowing the use of bank accounts, and placing bets. It was reported that Kunukçu is being held in custody along with 311 other individuals within the scope of the case.

Kunukçu’s lawyer, Abide Gülel Saral, provided information regarding the scope of the accusation in a written statement, noting that her client has been acting in cooperation with the investigative authorities.

"The file in question is a large-scale investigation containing various allegations such as facilitating betting, allowing the use of bank accounts, and placing bets. The act attributed to my client, İsmail Melih Kunukçu, is exclusively the act of ‘placing bets.’ There is no accusation that my client engaged in activities such as facilitating betting, running an illegal betting organization, or providing IBANs for this purpose."

The statement noted that Kunukçu provided his testimony to judicial authorities of his own volition and has acted transparently with the competent authorities from the beginning of the process.

Saral stated that they are awaiting the preparation of the indictment following the end of the judicial recess, drawing attention to the presumption of innocence and the right to be free from stigma. The lawyer expressed that her client should not be associated with the more serious allegations in the investigation.

The legal scope of the accusations against Kunukçu is expected to become clear with the preparation of the indictment in the later stages of the investigation.