The investigation carried out by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office regarding the death of the late Grand Unity Party Chairman Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu and his accompanying delegation in the helicopter crash that occurred on March 25, 2009, continues. Making a statement regarding the file, Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek emphasized that the investigation was carried out multifacetedly and meticulously.

ACTION WAS TAKEN AGAINST 29 SUSPECTS

Minister Gürlek stated that action has been taken against 29 suspects so far within the scope of the investigation, and announced that 27 of them were detained, 19 were arrested, and judicial control measures were implemented against 8 of them. Gürlek stated that the other two suspects were detained in prison for other files.

FETO CONNECTIONS UNDER SPOTLIGHT

Noting that the connections related to the secret structure of FETO/PDY were examined in detail in the investigation file, Gürlek said that all issues regarding organizational contacts, connections with Adil Öksüz, one of the fugitive defendants of the July 15 coup attempt, ByLock correspondence and the fact that many suspects had been processed within the scope of FETO in the past, were evaluated within the framework of the evidence.

“THE STRUCTURES TRYING TO BLACK THE TRUTH ARE BEING INVESTIGATED”

Stating that the file is not just an investigation of a tragic accident that happened in the past, Gürlek stated that the traces of FETO, which tried to prevent the truth from being revealed by infiltrating the capillaries of the state, were also investigated. He stated that the judicial authorities continue their work with determination to reach the material truth within the limits drawn by the law and in line with the evidence.

“NO DOUBT WILL BE LEFT UNANSWERED”

Giving a message of determination regarding the scope of the investigation, Gürlek said, “No matter where the investigation leads, our state will follow it to the end within the law. No suspicion will be left unanswered, and no organized structure will be allowed to get in the way of our nation’s expectation of justice.” he said.

THANKS TO THE TEAMS WHO CONDUCTED THE INVESTIGATION

In his statement, Minister Gürlek thanked the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Ankara Provincial Police Department, and all public officials who took part in the process. At the end of his statement, Gürlek said, “I commemorate all our citizens who lost their lives in this tragic incident, especially the late Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu, and I present to the public that the process will be followed with determination in order to shed light on all aspects of this pain in the hearts of their families and our beloved nation.” He included his statements.

Minister of Internal Affairs Mustafa Çiftçi inspected Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality’s Patilik Mutlu Stray Animals Town. Citing that the facility covers an area of ​​180 decares, Çiftçi said, “Currently, 6,500 animals are kept here in their natural habitats and shelters. 12 veterinarians, a total of 85 people, work here.” Stating that he saw that the conditions were very good and animal welfare was ensured, Çiftçi thanked Governor Aktaş and Metropolitan Mayor Tahir Büyükakın for their work.

Ciftci, mentioning that the work on this issue started on March 15 last year, continued as follows: “It first started in the provinces where there are 51 provincial special administrations. Then, in July, it was expanded to our metropolitan cities. The work in 30 metropolitan cities started in July. As of the point we have reached now, 92.35 percent of stray animals in Türkiye are now kept in shelters and natural habitats. We have accelerated the work. Our goal is hopefully this year. “To collect all the animals on the streets and take them to shelters, to ensure their care, adoption and life in their natural habitats.”

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan wrote an article titled “The July 15 Resistance is Unprecedented in the World Democracy History” for the international public on the 10th anniversary of the July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day: The aim of the coup attempt, carried out by a terrorist network that insidiously infiltrated our country’s institutions, was to subdue the future of our nation by dragging Türkiye into an environment of chaos that would last for many years. Our beloved nation, which responded to the coup plotters by defending its independence and future, declared to the whole world with a heroic resistance that the national will cannot be captured in these lands. The foresight, courage and foresight demonstrated by the Turkish nation on the night of July 15 is unique in the history of world democracy.

In my statement on the night of July 15, I underlined that I have never recognized any power above the power of the people. While making this statement, I was sure that the Turkish nation would defend its own will. As a matter of fact, our nation, who took to the streets with great faith and self-confidence that same night, refused to be dominated by the terrorist gang and signed an epic of national will that will be proudly told from generation to generation.

As a result of our fight against those who attempted a coup attempt that also targets the economic prosperity and development of our country, we have taken strong steps for a more prosperous future with the projects we have commissioned in sectors such as energy, transportation, health, agriculture, technology and defense. We have made a strong breakthrough in the defense, aviation and space industry with the National Technology Move we initiated in the last 10 years. We developed electric and smart transportation systems, and tried to be worthy of our nation’s sacrifice with strong investments in health and agriculture. In this process, we also developed our brand products that are appreciated worldwide. Among these, our electric car TOGG, our national combat aircraft KAAN, our national corvettes and unmanned aerial vehicles are the first ones that come to mind. On the other hand, in the past 10 years, Türkiye has come to the fore as an effective actor in resolving crises and conflicts at both regional and global levels with its entrepreneurial foreign policy approach. In all crisis geographies, we did not shy away from taking responsibility to ensure peace and tranquility by supporting the oppressed and the just, not the powerful. Wherever there is oppression or injustice, we have become the voice of international law, justice and conscience. If, at the point we have reached today, Turkey is defined as a country whose contribution is sought in regional and global issues, whose words are respected and whose opinions are consulted, behind this success is the will of our beloved nation, who defended its independence and future at the expense of its life on the night of July 15.

WE ARE AWARE OF THOSE WHO STILL SUPPORT THE ORGANIZATION
The process of internal disintegration of FETO’s overseas structure has accelerated in the last two years. However, we are aware that some countries currently support this organization, albeit covertly, and shelter its members. I would like to take this opportunity to underline the need to be careful against FETO, which sees any means as permissible to achieve its goals, takes on all kinds of disguises, and does not hesitate to exploit all kinds of concepts, including democracy, freedom and human rights.

Speaking at the opening of the National Public Health and Security Problem Addiction Symposium organized by the Turkish Academy Political Social Strategic Research Foundation (TASAV), Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz said that the main goal of the fight against addiction is to prevent risks before they arise.
Stating that approximately one-third of the convicts in prisons are in prison for drug crimes, Yılmaz stated that a significant portion of crimes such as theft, extortion and violence against women are related to addiction.
Emphasizing that new types of addiction such as technology, internet, gambling and illegal betting increase the risks, Yılmaz announced that 93 percent of the decisions taken by the High Council for Combating Addiction, which he chairs, have been implemented.
He also stated that an action plan with 7 titles has been implemented within the scope of combating illegal betting and gambling. Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş stated that they have placed the family at the center of the fight against addiction and said that the 15-year-old social network access limit, 3 social risk maps and the pilot study carried out in 1286 neighborhoods in Batman will be expanded throughout the country.

GÖKMEN (Sky Control Center), which was implemented in Konya and is the first in Türkiye, supports security services throughout the city with artificial intelligence-supported autonomous drones.

STATIONED AT 6 DIFFERENT POINTS
The system, established with the support of Konya Governorship and Provincial Police Department, started service on May 15, 2026. 6 aerial surveillance systems placed at different points of the city take off in approximately 10 seconds after receiving the notice, reach the scene within 5 minutes at the latest and transmit live images.

IT ALSO DOES THERMAL ANALYSIS
The system used in public order, terrorism, narcotics, smuggling, fight against organized crime and traffic controls; It enables the detection of risky situations thanks to vehicle and person tracking, person density analysis and thermal camera.

WILL MONITOR THE TRAFFIC DENSITY
The system is also actively used to monitor traffic density, determine alternative routes, and detect incorrect parking and traffic violations. Drones also have flashing and audio warning systems. Drones, which can stay in the air for approximately 50 minutes, can operate day and night in weather conditions between -30 and +50 degrees. Deputy Police Chief Engin Keskin stated that GÖKMEN accelerated the intervention by providing aerial images before the teams reached the scene.

WILL MONITOR THE TRAFFIC DENSITY
The system is also actively used to monitor traffic density, determine alternative routes, and detect incorrect parking and traffic violations. Drones also have flashing and audio warning systems. Drones, which can stay in the air for approximately 50 minutes, can operate day and night in weather conditions between -30 and +50 degrees. Deputy Police Chief Engin Keskin stated that GÖKMEN accelerated the intervention by providing aerial images before the teams reached the scene.

The verdict was announced last May in the case where 43 defendants, 5 of whom were arrested, including Niyazi Nefi Kara, who was suspended from his post as mayor, were tried within the scope of the “bribery” investigation against Manavgat Municipality. The court panel convicted CHP mayor Niyazi Nefi Kara of “establishing and managing an organization”, “chain bribery”, “extortion”, “embezzlement” and “laundering of assets resulting from crime”. He was sentenced to 46 years, 10 months and 15 days in prison. SABAH reached the reasoned decision of the case in question. In the file, the dirty wheel running in the CHP Manavgat Municipality was revealed one by one. The bribery and blackmail scheme established by the organized network, backed by the municipal power, on tourism investors, hoteliers and businessmen has been revealed in all its nakedness.

KARA’S NEPHEW CARRIED OUT THE BRIBERY ACTIVITIES

In the reasoned decision, it was clearly emphasized that former CHP Mayor Niyazi Nefi Kara, who took office on March 31, 2024 and was suspended from his post by the Ministry of Internal Affairs within the scope of the investigation, was the “Organization Leader”. According to the decision, Kara liquidated honest municipal staff as soon as he took office. He replaced them with relatives and trusted relatives who would run the wheel he established smoothly. It has been proven that Mayor Kara, in order to keep himself in the background, positioned his own nephew Hüseyin Cem Gül, who has no official position or title in the municipality, as an “unofficial manager” and carried out all the cash bribe negotiations through this nephew.

500 THOUSAND EUR VILLA AND LUXURY RANGE ROVER FOR HIS SON IN EXCHANGE FOR BRIBE

The robbery worth millions of euros was documented one by one with technical and physical monitoring and MASAK reports. It was determined that the leader of the organization, Niyazi Nefi Kara, tried to hide the payment for the luxury villa he bought at Lions Life Site on May 14, 2024, by saying, “It was the cash I had left over from the election, I did not withdraw it from the bank.” However, the seller’s statement revealed the truth. It was proven that the villa was sold for 500 thousand euros in return for bribe money and that the chairman’s nephew, Hüseyin Cem Gül, personally delivered the cash during the handover of the title deed. It was determined that a luxury Range Rover brand vehicle was purchased as a birthday present for the president’s son, Ali Çağın Kara, with the bribe money collected from hotels and businessmen, and all insurance transactions of the vehicle were also carried out by the bribery network.

THEY PAID MILLIONS OF EUROS WITH THE PASSWORD “WE RECEIVED THE TRUST”

It was determined that the network used special passwords among themselves to avoid being wiretapped. When the bribe money extorted from businessmen was received, it was reflected in the phone records that the organization managers called President Kara and used the password “We have received the trust”. It was explained in great detail that the occupancy and license applications of hoteliers who did not pay bribes were deliberately kept under wraps for months, and that businessmen were forced to transfer money to front companies belonging to the network, saying “The municipality has a debt”. It was reported that exorbitant fines were imposed on hoteliers who did not submit to the demands of the network, using police force.

“TEAM A” OF ORGANIZED CRIME NETWORK

In the reasoned decision, the organized network was defined as a ‘Criminal Organization for Interest Purposes’. Mayor Niyazi Nefi Kara took part in the scheme as the leader of the organization. Nephew Hüseyin Cem Gül was included in the scheme as the ‘organization manager’. Yegen Gül was the main actor in the scheme that carried out zoning, license and settlement transactions in exchange for bribes, without having any official duties. Another organization manager, Sıla Ceylan Berkaya, was Mayor Kara’s relative and the Deputy Mayor responsible for Development and Settlement.

The organization manager, Mehmet Engin Tüter, was the Deputy Mayor in Charge of Police. He was coordinating the police crackdown and coordinating the profiteering by collecting fake invoices through front companies. It was also determined that Bulem Shahbaz, another nephew of the President and his Chief of Staff, changed the hard drives of municipal security cameras in order to obscure evidence of bribery.

PUNISHMENT WAS PUNISHED ON THE DEFENDANTS

Organization Leader President Niyazi Nefi Kara was sentenced to a total of 46 years, 10 months and 15 days in prison and a judicial fine of 2.5 million liras for the crimes of “establishing and managing an organization”, “chain bribery”, “extortion”, “embezzlement” and “laundering of criminal assets”. A decision was also made to deprive Kara of public office. Former Deputy Mayor Mehmet Engin Tüter was sentenced to a total of 40 years in prison and a judicial fine of 2 million lira for the crimes of “establishing and managing an organization”, “chain bribery”, “extortion”, “embezzlement” and “laundering of criminal assets”.

The detained defendant, Hüseyin Cem Gül, was sentenced to a total of 41 years and 9 months in prison for the crimes of “establishing and managing an organization”, “taking bribes”, “chain extortion”, “embezzlement” and “laundering of assets resulting from crime”.

Detained defendant Mesut Kara was also sentenced to a total of 24 years and 2 months in prison and a judicial fine of 1.4 million lira for the crimes of “being a member of a terrorist organization”, “taking bribes”, “extortion” and “laundering property values ​​resulting from crime”.

While the court decided to confiscate the foreign currency seized in the baklava box, it also decided to confiscate the gold, foreign currency and some real estate seized within the scope of the investigation.