Former Minister of Family and Social Policies Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya was arrested on November 5 as part of a fund investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. Following Kaya's referral to the court, a post made by Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek on his social media account drew attention in the political agenda.
Gürlek published a video featuring footage from a speech previously given by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with the hashtag #DuruşumuzBelli (Our stance is clear). Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya's name was not directly mentioned in the post; however, the fact that the message came at a time when the judicial process regarding the former minister was being reflected in the public eye sparked debate.
Posts were also made with the same hashtag by the AK Party's corporate accounts, members of parliament, and party officials. These messages emphasized renewal within the party, political determination, and "parting ways with those who do wrong." However, no official statement was made regarding whether Gürlek's post was directly linked to the Kaya investigation.
WHAT ARE THE CHARGES IN THE INVESTIGATION?
The file, conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office Bureau of Investigation for Terrorism Financing and Money Laundering Crimes, examines certain transactions in capital markets. Following her statement to the prosecutor, Kaya was referred to the criminal judgeship of peace with a request for arrest on charges of "violating the Capital Markets Law" and "being a member of an organization established to commit crimes."
The judgeship decided to arrest Kaya within the scope of the alleged charges. It was stated that the arrest decision does not mean a finalized conviction and that the trial process is ongoing.
Within the scope of the same investigation, judicial control measures were imposed on Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya's husband, İlyas Kaya, and former Capital Markets Board Chairman İbrahim Ömer Gönül. It was ruled that both individuals would be subject to a travel ban and an obligation to sign in at regular intervals.
Transactions made in the shares of Özata Denizcilik Sanayi ve Ticaret AŞ were also placed under scrutiny in the file. In the prosecutor's referral document, it was noted that a report was prepared by the CMB (SPK) stating that Kaya possessed non-public information that could affect investor decisions.
According to the assessment in the referral document, it was stated that Kaya purchased the shares in question in April 2026 and disposed of them on September 16, 2026. It was alleged that the sale was not made through direct trading on the stock exchange, but via a transfer (virman) through Tera Yatırım, and that the proceeds were transferred to her account on the same day.
News Source: 12punto
