Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP) Istanbul MP Ahmet Şık, in a statement made on his social media account, drew attention to the discussions surrounding the crisis in the capital markets, as well as detention practices in the judiciary and allegations that have come to the public's attention.
Şık brought up allegations that former minister and AKP Deputy Chairperson Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya had earned a high amount of profit in a short time through an investment in a stock. Şık questioned why no arrest warrant had been issued for Kaya.
Continuing his statement, Şık described the Süzer Plaza, owned by Süzer Holding, and the relationships he alleged existed there, claiming that Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek and his wife, Elif Gülşah Gürlek, were tenants in an apartment at the Ritz-Carlton. Şık posed questions regarding who covered the monthly rent of 750,000 TL, the 30 million TL renovation and furnishing costs, and the expenses at the luxury restaurant.
Süzer Plaza and past controversies
In his statement, Ahmet Şık also touched upon the history of Süzer Holding's Süzer Plaza in Istanbul. Recalling the controversies during the construction process of the structure, known publicly as "Gökkafes," Şık alleged that the project was realized as a result of developments involving the municipal administrations and political powers of the time.
Şık stated that the construction of the building was permitted during the mayoral term of Bedrettin Dalan, while subsequent mayors Nurettin Sözen and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made attempts to stop the construction and demolish the structure. However, he stated that the project's path was cleared during the ANAP government of the time through the redrawing of the borders of the Şişli and Beyoğlu districts.
Recalling that Ali Baran Süzer, a board member of Süzer Holding, was detained in late 2025 as part of a drug investigation, Şık noted that Süzer was released under judicial control.
Allegation that Akın Gürlek is a tenant in a luxury apartment
The most striking part of Şık's statement was the allegation that Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek and his wife, Elif Gülşah Gürlek, were tenants at the Ritz-Carlton within the Süzer Plaza complex.
Şık alleged that the title deed for the apartment in question was in the name of AKP-affiliated businessman Davut Yasin Bilen. Stating that the monthly rent for the apartment was 750,000 TL, Şık claimed that the renovation and furnishing costs of the home were covered by a company belonging to Süzer Holding.
According to Şık's allegation, the cost of the apartment's renovation and furnishing reached 30 million TL. Şık stated that it must be explained by whom and for what reason these expenses were covered.
Furthermore, alleging that meetings were held at Süzer Plaza hosted by Davut Yasin Bilen during the period when Ali Baran Süzer was in custody, Şık claimed that millions of dollars were discussed in these meetings.
CMB, Süzer Plaza, and the Nobu restaurant
Pointing out that the Capital Markets Board (CMB) is also located in Süzer Plaza, Şık noted that Elif Gülşah Gürlek serves on the board's management.
In his statement, Şık noted that Gürlek does not need to enter Istanbul traffic to reach her workplace, and brought up the expenses incurred at the luxury Nobu restaurant in the plaza.
Claiming that the monthly dining bills at the restaurant reached 250,000 TL, Şık demanded an explanation as to who paid for these expenses. He questioned whether these payments were made by Elif Gülşah Gürlek, Akın Gürlek, or Süzer Holding.
6 questions from Ahmet Şık to Akın Gürlek
At the end of his statement, Ahmet Şık addressed Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek directly and posed the following six questions to clarify the allegations:
1. Does Davut Yasin Bilen or any of his relatives own an apartment in Süzer Plaza?
2. Are Akın Gürlek and his wife Elif Gülşah Gürlek tenants in this apartment?
3. Is the monthly rent of 750,000 TL for the apartment being paid? If so, by whom is it covered? Are there receipts available for the payments?
4. Who covered the 30 million TL cost for the renovation and furnishing of the apartment?
5. What kind of relationship do you have with Davut Yasin Bilen, who appears as the owner of the house in the land registry?
6. Does Elif Gülşah Gürlek, who is also on the CMB board, pay the bills for her dining expenses at the Nobu restaurant in the plaza, which are alleged to reach 250,000 TL per month, or are they paid by Akın Gürlek or Süzer Holding?
As you know, we are in a country where the government's political opponents are thrown into prison for all sorts of reasons and fabrications. We have not stopped defending the principle that “trial without detention is essential,” and we certainly will not stop. Yet, why is this principle applied every time to those involved in shady business, while evidence of crimes...
— AHMET ŞIK (@ahmetsahmets) September 28, 2026
News Source: 12punto
