Arrested during IMM operations... Fatih Keleş denies pro-government media: A statement on effective remorse

Fatih Keleş, President of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Sports Club, who is currently under arrest as part of the IMM investigation, has categorically denied the "hired killer" allegations against him. Keleş emphasized that the report titled "The IMM gang's hired killer plan," published in Sabah Newspaper on August 17, 2025, was "fantastic and baseless."

"HIRED KILLER PLAN" ALLEGATIONS ARE FALSE

Fatih Keleş stated that he had rejected the offers for effective remorse presented to him in prison through his lawyers and made statements regarding this process. Keleş expressed that the allegations were completely fabricated and that this report was the latest link in a systematic smear campaign.

NAMES OF SECRET INDIVIDUALS HEARD FROM THE PRESS

In his statement, Keleş said that he learned the names of Selahattin Yılmaz and Aziz İhsan Aktaş, who were mentioned in the report, from the press. Keleş stated, "Neither I nor my lawyers know these individuals, nor is there any hostility between us," noting that the allegations were entirely groundless.

Fatih Keleş's social media post is as follows:

"As the public is aware, I have been under arrest for a long time as part of the IMM file. During this process, slanders have been produced against me under the name of effective remorse, which have nothing to do with the truth, and the public has been attempted to be misled with baseless allegations. Finally, the report full of fantastic allegations titled 'The IMM gang's hired killer plan,' which appeared in Sabah Newspaper on August 17, 2025, is the latest link in this systematic smear and conspiracy process.

I learned the names of Selahattin YILMAZ and Aziz İhsan AKTAŞ, who were mentioned in the report, from the press. Neither I nor my lawyers know the individuals mentioned in these reports, nor is there any hostility between us. In fact, Aziz İhsan AKTAŞ, whom I have never met and who provided a statement of effective remorse, has no statement for or against me. There is no hostility between us either. Therefore, it is clear that the allegations in question are entirely a product of imagination and are baseless.

However, the attempt to impose this scenario on me dates back to approximately 1 month before the report in question. I have become a victim of the chain of 'give the money and the statement requested, and you will be saved,' which our Chairman brought to the agenda. These imaginary allegations are also part of this conspiracy.

"I have not slandered anyone, and I will not"

First, on July 23, the lawyer conducting the 'effective remorse' process for Adem Soytekin, who was released after benefiting from 'effective remorse,' came to visit me in prison and told me that I needed to make a statement of effective remorse, confirm Adem Soytekin's statements, and make statements on certain issues requested by the prosecutor's office. It was explicitly stated that if I cooperated in this direction, I could be saved and my family could be released; otherwise, the charges would be further aggravated.

I categorically rejected these offers. Because I have never accepted a crime I did not commit throughout my life, and I will not. I have not slandered anyone, and I will not.

Later, on August 5, the same lawyer and Adem Soytekin's other lawyer came to visit me again at night and talked about these imaginary scenarios mentioned in the report, which were claimed to be 'carried out secretly by intelligence.' I ended the meeting by saying that I could not listen to such nonsense, and I reported this situation to my lawyer by letter the next day. In other words, what I have experienced is proven by evidence. What is interesting is that these imaginary allegations found their way into newspaper headlines shortly after. This situation clearly reveals the existence of a conspiracy against me.

"My innocent son and innocent nephew have been arrested"

Since the beginning of my detention, intense pressure has been placed on me. First, my assets and my forty-year-old company were seized, my brother was arrested on baseless allegations, false news was published repeatedly in the media claiming that he had 'become a confessor,' and then my innocent son and innocent nephew were arrested. Now, the pressures created with imaginary scenarios are being served through the press. Today, my lawyer has filed a criminal complaint regarding everything that has happened, both against those who made this false report and those who set up this conspiracy.

My only wish is for my innocent son, nephew, and brother to be released, for an independent and impartial trial to take place, and for justice to be served. I kindly request the public to be sensitive against these conspiracies and systematic efforts to discredit."

News Source: 12punto