Breaking News... Özgür Özel responds to Akın Gürlek regarding assets

Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Özgür Özel spoke at his party's group meeting in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM).

At the beginning of his speech, the CHP leader invited Emine Ülker Tarhan to the podium, who had served as a group deputy chairman in the CHP for a period and had left the party following the 2014 presidential election in protest of the candidate selection.

Özgür Özel pinned the party badge on Emine Ülker Tarhan, who rejoined the CHP after 12 years.

Making a brief speech afterward, Emine Ülker Tarhan said, "We believe that sooner or later, the dried-up lands must be colored again. I say 'yes' to experiencing both the honor and the pain of having been born here. I say 'no' to the erasure of our perceptions and to forgetting. You called, I came, thank you, much obliged," she said.

Returning to the podium, Özgür Özel said, "Embracing all the values of this party, without turning our backs on anyone, we are marching toward power shoulder to shoulder."

Highlights from Özel's statements are as follows:

Partimizin grup toplantısını gerçekleştiriyoruz. https://t.co/Mxq9TTxhFk

— Özgür Özel (@eczozgurozel) March 24, 2026

"The hikes in fuel prices may bring a new inflation to our agenda. Since yesterday, the hike in crude oil has started to be reflected in pump prices. Erdoğan can reduce the VAT to 1 percent with a single signature. If he does this, both current pump prices will become cheaper, and we will be able to keep diesel prices in the 20 percent band. These will create a tax loss for a while, but it will protect every segment negatively affected by the natural price hikes and inflation on all transported goods.

If trust in the judiciary is 18 percent, there is no trust in anything there. We are left alone with an appointee who is neither from politics, nor knows politics, but on the contrary, aspires to politics, yet is dripping with amateurism and blinded by ambition. This appointment has turned into a symbol of the ruling party's exhaustion in politics."

Making statements regarding a new appointment within the Ministry of Justice, Özel showed documents from the podium. Claiming that the appointed person was part of a structure called the "White Taurus Gang," Özel shared the Land Registry ID numbers of 16 properties registered to the person in question with the public.

"THE ID NUMBER OF EACH OF THE 16 PROPERTIES IS HERE"

Stating that the land registry records in Ankara were hidden last week but that they had reached a detailed list, Özel made an open call to the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization and the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre:

"There is an asset and property wealth acquired with a salary that would take 190 years to earn. The ID number of each of the 16 properties is here. No one is saying these ID numbers are lies. I am calling on the ministries; if there is any deficiency or denial regarding any of these 16 ID numbers, come out and say it."

Emphasizing the importance of merit in the state, Özel stated that people who should live on a civil servant's salary should be kept at a level of prosperity where they "would not covet other income," but that those who gain unfair profit would also be pursued.

Özel detailed the "16 title deeds" allegations against Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek. Claiming that even the value of the properties Gürlek admitted to is twice the salary he has received throughout his life, Özel drew attention to contracts in Emlak Konut projects, "bagman" allegations at RTÜK, and appointments extending from the Çağlayan Courthouse to the Ministry of Justice.

In the continuation of his speech, Özgür Özel explained his allegations regarding the assets of former Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor and current Deputy Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek with documents. Stating that Gürlek admitted to 3 properties in the projects named "Mahal" and "Mahal Bomonti" on the list, Özel stated that the average value of these properties is 71.5 million TL. Özel said, "He himself says that he has assets worth 2.5 times the money he would have saved if he hadn't even drunk a glass of water from the salaries he received throughout his life. We, on the other hand, claim that the other title deeds he objects to are also correct."

TEMA İSTANBUL AND THE 96 MILLION LIRA SENFONİ EVLERİ ALLEGATION

Drawing attention to two other separate projects that are not in the title deed records shown by Gürlek but have official documents, Özel brought the following allegations to the agenda:

"He bought a 2+1 apartment in Tema İstanbul, which was sold for 14 million liras on the same date, for 9 million liras. The company made a statement saying, 'Our Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek purchased an apartment like our other customers,' but this house is not in the title deed record shown. Another example; Senfoni Evleri. There is a sales contract for 96 million liras. Since the construction is not finished, there is no title deed, but there is an official contract through Emlak Konut, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change. There has been no denial for a week."

"THERE IS NO LAWSUIT FILED, BUT I AM FILING A LAWSUIT"

Responding to Gürlek's words that he would file a lawsuit regarding the allegations, Özel said, "There is no lawsuit filed, but I am filing a lawsuit. In that lawsuit, the lawyers will request the land registry records and the nation will see who is telling the truth. Challenge accepted!"

Özel also alleged a striking connection regarding Türkerler İnşaat, which built the "Mahal" projects that Gürlek admitted to. Stating that a file belonging to this firm, which resulted in non-prosecution in 2021, was reopened after Gürlek became the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor and a decision was made in favor of the firm, Özel called, "Now let's show the bank account movements, with which transfer did you pay for these houses, which are 27 million liras each."

"HE RECEIVES A SALARY FROM RTÜK BUT DOES NOT GO TO WORK"

Özel announced the names of four people whom he claims manage Gürlek's assets and money traffic. Giving the names Mehmet Türkoğlu, Osman Dündar Çiftçi, Hayrettin Koç, and Selim Bozkurt, Özel claimed that retired police officer Selim Bozkurt was made Deputy Head of Department at RTÜK at Gürlek's request. Özel asked, "He receives a salary from RTÜK but does not go to work. He had many title deeds on him, now he is in the phase of emptying them. Did we hear a statement from RTÜK saying 'there is no such person'?"

Stating that information and documents are coming to him like 'rain' from within the AKP, Özel addressed those who leaked the information, saying, "Do not take these documents to us, take them to your own chairman. Because he knows everything better than you. You are telling us so that it is heard, we will share what we verify with the public when the day comes."

"THE WHITE TAURUS GANG MOVED TO THE MINISTRY, 301 STUDENTS ARRESTED"

Touching upon the appointments in the judiciary, Özel claimed that the structure established in the Çağlayan Courthouse and which he called the "White Taurus Gang" had moved to the Ministry of Justice. Özel stated that Abdullah Aydoğdu, the husband of Judge Songül Özdemir Aydoğdu, who arrested İBB President Ekrem İmamoğlu and the students participating in the protests, was made the head of the personnel department at the ministry.

Stating that the judge in question arrested 301 university students aged 18-19 who were not involved in any violent acts "to make an example of them," Özel said, "The students were kept in Silivri for 90 days, including holidays, without an indictment being written. They could not take their finals, they lost a year. In the end, the court decided to acquit the students and that banning the protest was unconstitutional. However, despite these decisions, the same judge continued to arrest the students."

Özel began his speech by criticizing the situation of the young people sent to prison and the double standard in the judiciary with these words:

"From here, from here, from here, I speak to the conscience of the nation. There is a woman, her husband is now a deputy minister, he was rewarded. She arrests innocent children, 18-year-olds, just because they went to a protest. She ruins their lives in Silivri for 90 days, puts them in wards, puts them in difficult wards. In the end, the court says 'the children have no crime.' She still takes other children and puts them inside. I entrust these heartless people, these apparatuses of the criminal organization, these heartless people who consider even protesting Erdoğan, or supporting the presidential candidate who will defeat Erdoğan, a crime, to the conscience of this nation and to my own memory."

"THEY ARE COMMITTING CHARACTER ASSASSINATION ON BEHALF OF THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE"

Drawing attention to a person whom he claims was transferred from the Directorate of Communications to the Ministry of Justice, Özel alleged that a conspiracy was being carried out by establishing an unofficial room:

"In these cadres, someone else has appeared in these cadres, friends. Someone whose name is mentioned in the drug investigation that Akın Gürlek himself conducted in Istanbul. Someone whose name is mentioned in every statement. Someone who was thrown inside abruptly. Then, sir, suddenly allegations and such were discussed, written, someone who would be arrested if one-tenth, one-percent of it were about someone else, but who was not arrested. Someone at the head of a job, a structure, supposedly responsible for disinformation at the Directorate of Communications. He was kicked out of the Directorate of Communications because 'there is that drug operation.' Do you know what happened? They opened an unauthorized, supposedly unofficial room next to the Ministry of Justice, those who go there tell. They sat him there. From there, he is committing character assassination on behalf of the Ministry of Justice. Do you know what he is doing? He wrote a text, I said 'I will take it out and read it,' the consultant friend said 'don't do it sir, it won't work.' He said 'don't put these into the record in this parliament.' So-and-so's... look, the person is accused of something else. That person's mobile phone was seized. From inside the mobile phone, look, we are 1 million percent sure that it is a lie, but... these shameful messages were sent to so-and-so woman, be informed, it is being served to the press. There is a phone entrusted to the state. The person has no crime, but even if they did, that phone is entrusted to the state. That phone falls into someone's hands. These are being spread for character assassination from the room next to the Minister of Justice so that that person's resistance is broken, their relationship with their spouse is spoiled... The person in question doesn't even hide their name... Ha, how much of the press does this? By God, most of those sitting here don't, God bless them. But there is Akit, for example, Akit newspaper. It takes it and pastes it as soon as it gets it. It pastes it as soon as it gets it. Or they have a television, a newspaper, of those whose names were spilled in various disgraceful records in America. They, for example, settle for about a quarter, forty percent of it, they can't write it all. Well, such a person has come with the Minister of Justice, and he has given it to him and says 'sit there and write'."

"IF WE DO NOT HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS, WE ARE DISHONORABLE!"

Touching upon the contradictions in the government's FETÖ rhetoric, Özel stated that they keep a record of the false information leaked from within the state and continued as follows:

"And look, we have them one by one. The journalists he sent... the moment he reaches the journalists he sent, it comes to us. Now I am having them identified one by one. 'On this day, this date, this time, this was sent by this person, it was printed in Akit the next day.' Or those famous ones whose names are mentioned in the islands in America, in the filth they wove, Ören, Ören... what Ören? I don't know these, I don't remember... It is printed in the newspaper of those who weave such disgrace, it is talked about on television. One by one! Because one day, one day, the days will come when these lies, these disinformations, and those who allow that devil, that person who settles for such dishonor, to sit there, to be held accountable for these, friends. If we do not hold them accountable for this, we are dishonorable! Ha, who is this? This nephew, this nephew. The grandfather is at the head of FETÖ, he has been in prison since 2018. Nephew. Who is this? Son-in-law. The father-in-law is a FETÖ member. My brother, you fired a man's child from civil service because his father accidentally deposited money into Bank Asya. You fired the one who paid rent because 'the landlord said the money will be deposited into this bank' from civil service. You fired the one whose brother-in-law was spooning the makbule from civil service. You fired the one whose brother-in-law read the Zaman newspaper from civil service. You have always kept Altaylı's nephew, the man whose father-in-law is a FETÖ member, by your side. You put him in the Disinformation Presidency. You know how they put red crosses on pictures in politicians' statements, that was the work of this dishonorable person. This one. He was putting crosses on us in red. Whoever does these dishonors before history, whoever makes them do it, is dishonorable and ignoble if they do not have a red cross put on them before history!"

RESPONSE TO ALLEGATIONS AND SMEAR CAMPAIGNS AGAINST HIM

Özel also made the following assessments regarding the title deed inquiry allegations in the media close to the government and the news about him:

"These shameless people, these shameless people, they say '4 people have inquired about title deeds in Turkey now'. My guess is that all these poor people have a FETÖ connection on one side, they will wash their hands again with FETÖ shampoo in their own way. Those poor people probably looked out of curiosity when these things were talked about for a few months. None of them are our source or anything. It was found and looked at from within the AK Party, we do not claim it. We do not accept any connection with any of them. But let me say this much. He says, someone has come out, a former opponent has now come out, 'Sir, there is a structure within the state that inquires about title deeds, leaks them, leaks them to the opposition'. Well, you think about that, but doesn't it cross your mind to ask this to the one who publishes the photo, address, and title deed of the house where the daughter of the main opposition leader lives, and does such targeting? Do you know how dishonorable they are? For 5 years, aha, it's there with Numan Kurtulmuş, in Mr. Kurtulmuş's hands. For 5 years, apart from the house in Manisa, we have a modest student house in Istanbul. What we bought is clear, where we paid from is clear, its title deed is clear. He said, he says that he built the house... 'Sir, there was a demolition decision, Özgür Özel bought it and was saved from demolition, he became rich'. It was demolished, built, 18 apartments were built, I bought it last from urban transformation. Not from the landlord, but from the contractor. They wrote as if the whole apartment building was mine, it didn't work. They wrote that water, it didn't work. It was learned that we were there when the demolition decision was taken for 3 centimeters of excess, and we were there when it was corrected and written by the contractor. It turned out to be a complete lie, now no one is talking about it. But they did dishonor for two days. They published the address and photo of our house. Now there is no one even saying sorry. Then, sir, again the same dishonorable person, again the same dishonorable person; Muhittin Böcek and Özgür Özel met on this date. It's clear from the Ministry of Interior's record, I'm in Ankara. It's clear from all the records. They were silent again. There is no one saying sorry, again the same dishonorable person. Today he attacks someone else, the next day he attacks someone else."

"MR. ERDOĞAN, PULL YOUR AKITS FROM HERE!"

Making a direct call to Erdoğan, Özel continued his words as follows:

"I am saying it from here. I am saying it from here. Mr. Erdoğan, Mr. Erdoğan, will you allow these dishonorable people to come at us with this dishonor, those sent from the Directorate of Communications as drugs, this and that, prostitution and such, to be seated in the Ministry of Justice, to commit character assassination against the elected officials of this country, or will you pull these Akits from here? Pull your Akits from here! Then the gentleman comes out on television, on a YouTube channel, and pretends to be a human. 'Sir, my father went to the mosque, they told my father your son said this and that'. Well, let me kiss your father's hands. Let me kiss them. But look, your father's hand is to be kissed. Don't be afraid. Your father's hand is to be kissed. Look, which father's..."

"PRESSURE IS BEING PUT ON DETAINEES TO SLANDER İMAMOĞLU"

In the most striking part of his speech, Özel touched upon the pain inflicted on the families of some detainees in prison one by one, and explained that blackmail was being carried out through prosecutors to give false testimony against Ekrem İmamoğlu with the following expressions:

"Look, this child has a father. Vera has a father, Tayfun Kahraman. This Tayfun Kahraman is sick. When he takes a step, he falls, he falls and cuts his forehead, he is taken to hospitals. I gave this Tayfun Kahraman's letter to Mr. Erdoğan how many years ago. Tayfun Kahraman, who fought so that no one's nose would bleed in Gezi. Tayfun Kahraman, who said 'there will be a referendum, let's go home'. Tayfun Kahraman, who risked his life so that things wouldn't get mixed up. His daughter was in his arms. He couldn't take her to kindergarten or daycare. His daughter is going to primary school, he still meets with his father from behind the glass. This girl has a father!

Buğra Gökçe's wife Filiz. She has a marriage certificate in her hand. They took a photo with her husband inside. They haven't given the wedding photo from that day to this day. He married his wife in prison, they don't give the wedding photo with Buğra Gökçe. This woman has a husband!

Fatih Keleş, his son Mustafa, 26 years old. He has no crime. His name isn't even in the indictment. They are holding the boy so that the father will be persecuted. Do you know why? The boy has a fear of closed spaces. The prosecutor asks 'How will it be, says Mr. Fatih, how will the boy stay in those places?' 'What does it have to do with it,' he says, 'why should he stay with my son'. The next day they falsely arrested him and put him inside. The child is fighting a battle of honor in a 40-person ward for his father. They do this every now and then; they put him in a car and bring him to the Istanbul Courthouse, when the lawyer comes, they say 'it's not an interrogation, you came for a chat'. They appear before not one but four prosecutors. 'Sign these slanders, reunite with your Mustafa, reunite with your home, slander Ekrem, save your child, save yourself too,' they say. This is also a father! This is also a father, this is also a child, this is also a spouse!

Ramazan Gülten. The day he was detained, arrested, his wife was pregnant. Maya was born. All of Turkey looked at Maya's heel on social media. Because her heel is visible, her mother covered her face so she wouldn't get the evil eye. Maya's father is inside. He has been waiting for 1 year, he has been waiting for 1 year. The other day his wife shouted 'Maya said daddy' and the whole hall cried. This is also a father! This is also a child, this is also a spouse!

Mehmet Murat Çalık, his mother Aunt Gülümser. She is waving to her child from here, all of Turkey saw his back. Conscientious AK Party members say we went, we talked 'At least give house arrest to this Murat Çalık...' 'Don't give me advice, go tell him, let him sign one signature, let him reunite with his home, his child, and his municipality.' What is he going to sign? 'I heard, I saw that Ekrem İmamoğlu took a bribe' signature. We are facing a patient who is counting the days to his death because he said 'I will die, I will die, I will not slander'. This patient has a mother here, a mother!"

"WE WANT A JUST MINISTER OF JUSTICE!"

Özel concluded his speech with a call for justice, ending his speech with these sentences:

"That's why I'm saying it once again from here. There is a limit to so much injustice, so much heartlessness, so much unfairness. There will be no peace, no peace, no brotherhood in a Turkey where those who do these things are rewarded and those who suffer them are still kept inside. For this, as soon as possible, as soon as possible, we want trial without arrest for our friends, and a just Minister of Justice for Turkey!

"IT IS AKIN GÜRLEK'S CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION"

"If there is an indictment, the one that is credible is not Ekrem İmamoğlu's criminal organization, but Akın Gürlek's criminal organization. The biggest radish is Recep Tayyip Erdoğan."