Özgür Özel and Murat Emir to pay compensation to Chief Prosecutor Gürlek: 150,000 liras each

The hearing held at the Istanbul 20th Civil Court of First Instance was attended by the plaintiff Gürlek's lawyer and the lawyers for the defendants, Özel and Emir.

Gürlek's lawyer requested that the lawsuit be accepted.

Özel's lawyer stated that his client is the leader of the main opposition party and argued that the remarks made against the plaintiff were political and critical in nature. The lawyer requested that the case be dismissed.

The presiding judge ruled in favor of the lawsuit.

It was decided that Özgür Özel would pay 150,000 liras in non-pecuniary damages for the main lawsuit, and Murat Emir would pay 150,000 liras for the consolidated lawsuit, with the amounts to be paid to the plaintiff along with legal interest accrued from the date of the lawsuit.

The petition for the lawsuit, prepared due to the remarks made by CHP Chairman Özgür Özel during his party's group meeting on June 17, 2025, and by Group Deputy Chairman Murat Emir during a press conference he held in June of the same year, regarding Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek, had been submitted to the Istanbul 20th Civil Court of First Instance.

"YOU ARE NOT PURSUING JUSTICE"

The remarks made by Özgür Özel at the group meeting on June 17, 2025, stating, "Now I am saying this to Akın Gürlek from here. You are not looking at the period before 2019, why? Because you are not pursuing justice, you are not pursuing crime, you are not pursuing corruption," were cited as the grounds for the compensation.

The remarks made by CHP Group Deputy Chairman Murat Emir at a press conference on June 18, 2025, stating, "Akın Gürlek, what is your duty, really? Are you the Chief Prosecutor? Have the Chief Prosecutors until now ridden in these vehicles? Have they gone to boat shows like this and looked at sea boats, million-dollar boats for themselves? Or why did the Chief Prosecutors until now not feel the need to live in a villa with a pool and a view of the Bosphorus, and why is this being done for you?" were shown as the subject of the compensation lawsuit.

News Source: 12punto