Testimony of Mehmet Ali Çalışkan, detained in the İmamoğlu investigation, revealed: A striking detail regarding Mehmet Uçum
Mehmet Ali Çalışkan, President of the Reform Institute, who was detained in the operation targeting Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, stated that in addition to HDP member Azad Barış, Chief Advisor to the President Mehmet Uçum, AKP MKYK members, and representatives of other parties were also present at the meeting in Germany.
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The testimony of Mehmet Ali Çalışkan, who was detained as part of an investigation launched into Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, Şişli Mayor Emrah Şahan, İBB Deputy Secretary General Mahir Polat, and Reform Institute President Mehmet Ali Çalışkan on allegations of "aiding the PKK/KCK terrorist organization," has drawn attention.
Çalışkan was questioned about a meeting he held in Germany with former HDP Deputy Chairman Azad Barış. In his testimony, Çalışkan stated that he met Azad Barış at a think tank event he attended in Germany. He said that not only Barış, but also Chief Advisor to the President Mehmet Uçum, journalist Oral Çalışlar, AK Party MKYK members, and executives from the DEVA and Future Party were present at that event.
MEHMET UÇUM WAS ALSO THERE
"I first saw Azad Barış in 2021-2022 in Germany at an event titled 'System Searches in Turkey and the Presidential Government System,' jointly organized by the Berghof Foundation and the PODEM Foundation from Turkey. It was a roundtable think tank event; there were not many participants. Azad Barış was also there as a discussant. Chief Advisor to the President Mehmet Uçum, Oral Çalışlar, AKP MKYK members, and some DEVA and Future Party executives were also at the same event."
''THE MEETINGS WERE UNDER THE INSTRUCTION OF THE CHP HEADQUARTERS''
Mehmet Ali Çalışkan also stated that he served as a contracted consultant for the CHP Headquarters for the 2024 local elections and coordinated all local election research. Noting that institutional-level meetings were held with many political parties in line with the CHP's "Turkey Alliance" approach, Çalışkan stated that he also took part in these meetings to share research reports.
Çalışkan continued his words as follows:
''I attended one of the meetings held with the DEM Party as a professional researcher. Azad Barış was also in the DEM Party delegation. We presented our research reports. Other than this, I had no personal, social, or commercial contact with Barış."