Resul Emrah Şahan files 500,000 TL non-pecuniary damages lawsuit against Emrullah Turanlı

Şişli Mayor Resul Emrah Şahan has applied to the Istanbul Anatolian Civil Court of First Instance, seeking 500,000 TL in non-pecuniary damages against businessman Emrullah Turanlı due to baseless, insulting statements made to the public that severely violated his personal rights.

In the petition submitted to the court by Şahan's lawyers Hüseyin Ersöz and Enes Ermaner, it was emphasized that the expressions used by Emrullah Turanlı during a live broadcast on Ekol TV on May 17, 2025, and in an interview with the website Patronlar Dünyası on June 7, 2025, constituted accusations of crime in the eyes of the public without any concrete evidence, and that this situation clearly violated the "presumption of innocence" and the "right not to be stigmatized."

The petition stated that Turanlı targeted the Şişli Municipality and Mayor Şahan in the live broadcast with derogatory terms such as "deputy gang leader," "gang member," "vampire," "bandit," and "rodent," and made allegations of "corruption," "bribery," "forged documents," and "unlawful seizure" against the municipality. It was noted that the perception these statements aimed to create in society was unlawful and constituted a form of black propaganda intended to mislead the public conscience.

The petition also pointed out that numerous irregularities were detected in the project carried out in Şişli by the construction company owned by the defendant; it was stated that areas that should have been ceded to the public were occupied, construction was carried out contrary to the building permit, and the construction site continued to operate without obtaining the necessary traffic and transportation permits. It was noted that the Şişli Municipality acted within the framework of its duties and authority against these illegalities, that construction activities were halted for safety reasons, and that necessary administrative sanctions were applied to protect the public interest.

In a statement made by Mayor Şahan's attorneys Ersöz and Ermaner, the following remarks were included:

"There is no concrete evidence for the allegations put forward by Emrullah Turanlı regarding Mr. Şahan. There are no financial accusations such as bribery, corruption, or embezzlement in the file for which our client is being tried. Despite this, this smear campaign, which is being systematically carried out in front of the media, is a clear violation of personal rights and a severe trial by media. Investigation files, permit information, court decisions, and official correspondence reveal the exact opposite of the truth."

The application, which argues that Turanlı's statements were intended to mislead the public and create a loss of reputation for the Municipality and Mayor Şahan, also emphasized that the ongoing judicial processes before the Istanbul 19th Administrative Court were distorted and reflected to the public.