İzani Turan, the former General Manager of the Türkiye Diyanet Foundation, has issued a statement regarding the fund allegations reflected in the public sphere and his departure from office. In a post shared on his social media account, Turan rejected comments suggesting that his decision to leave was linked to these allegations.
Stating that he personally conveyed his request to leave his post to the President of Religious Affairs, Safi Arpaguş, after the new administration took office, Turan said, "First and foremost, I want to state that my decision to leave my post has absolutely no connection to the fund allegations brought to the agenda today."
Objecting to the presentation of the departure process as a form of "guilt" or "punishment," Turan emphasized that positions are temporary. Turan argued that the Türkiye Diyanet Foundation has no relationship or dealings with the funds in question.
In his statement, Turan said, "We did not engage in interest-bearing transactions; we seek refuge in Allah from this. We also had no involvement in stock market transactions." He stated that protecting foundation resources from interest and prohibited (haram) earnings is both a religious sensitivity and a responsibility of trust.
Noting that donations were collected at different times and that aid was delivered to beneficiaries within a specific process, Turan stated that interest-free transaction options within the framework of regulations were utilized during this process to prevent the resources from losing value against inflation.
Turan stated that this practice has been carried out within the framework of the foundation's management and decision-making mechanisms since 2015, adding that no personal gain was obtained and the institution did not suffer any losses. He also added that the institution's records are open to inspection by authorized authorities.
Following allegations that donations collected for Gaza at the Türkiye Diyanet Foundation were evaluated in investment funds, high-level changes came to the agenda; it was claimed that the duties of Turan and his deputies, Recep Şükrü Balkan and Fatih Kayacan, had been terminated.
News Source: 12punto
