Republican People’s Party (CHP) Leader Özgür Özel has leveled severe accusations against Justice Minister Akın Gürlek, alleging a systematic “siege” against the party and claiming the Minister is engaged in financial misconduct and psychological warfare.
Özel asserts that the CHP is currently facing the largest siege in the history of political parties, characterized by legal threats, media smears, and personal intimidation. He describes this effort as a “futuristic coup” designed to prevent a democratic change of government.
Allegations of Financial Irregularities
A central point of Özel’s critique involves the assets of Justice Minister Akın Gürlek. Özel claims the Minister possesses 16 title deeds, though he alleges Gürlek only disclosed four of them, hiding the remaining 12.
The CHP leader specifically highlighted a 95 million lira property in Senfoni Evleri, Istanbul, and alleged that the Minister asked the Ministry if certain title records could be deleted. According to Özel, the Ministry responded that records kept for 250 years cannot be erased.
Özel further claims that these 16 properties appear in routine notifications sent by the Ministry to various municipalities to ensure property taxes are collected, which he presents as evidence of their existence.
Psychological Warfare and Legal Pressure
Özel accuses the Justice Minister of managing a “psychological harp” operation, alleging that private information and images from seized phones are leaked to pro-government media to blackmail targets.
He cited the case of Gökhan Böcek’s son, alleging the young man was pressured into giving a false statement about paying for a candidacy through threats involving private images. Özel claims that security records show the son never even entered the CHP building during the alleged timeframe.
The CHP leader also discussed pressures on municipal leaders, mentioning rumors that Afyon Mayor Burcu Köksal might switch to the AK Party. He suggested such transitions are often driven by legal threats against the mayors or their spouses.
The İBB Case and “Fake” Evidence
Regarding the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) investigations, Özel claims the evidence is fabricated. He specifically mentioned a claim of 185 million tons of illegal excavation, which he argues is logistically impossible as it would require over 7 million truckloads in a single year.
Özel presented a claim involving Murat Gülibrahimoğlu, who allegedly paid 50 million lira to Kalyon Agency—an agency he links to Murat Kurum—shortly before the elections. He argues this proves the financial interests lie with the AK Party rather than the İBB.
He further alleged that several witnesses in the İBB case have since retracted their statements, claiming they were coerced with promises of release or threatened with imprisonment.
Crypto-Phones and Presidential Influence
In a highly specific accusation, Özel claimed that Minister Gürlek uses a crypto-phone to communicate with President Erdoğan and has recorded these conversations.
Özel alleges that Gürlek uses these recordings as a shield, believing the recordings make him untouchable. He further claimed that Gürlek provides the President with a mixture of truth and falsehoods to maintain his position.
Possible Next Steps
Özel indicated that he is preparing a “second phase” of disclosures. He may hold a new press conference in the coming weeks to present further documents that he claims could make it impossible for the Minister to remain in office.
The legal battle over the “mutlak butlan” (absolute nullity) of the party congress could continue, though Özel suggests such a ruling is legally unlikely and would likely result in severe political and economic instability.
the CHP may continue to launch digital platforms like akpden.com—which was recently blocked for “national security” after highlighting tax costs—to criticize government fiscal policies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the specific financial allegations against Akın Gürlek?
Özgür Özel claims the Minister has 16 title deeds (only 4 disclosed) and a property worth 95 million lira in Senfoni Evleri, and that he attempted to have title records deleted from the Ministry.
What is the “futuristic coup” mentioned by Özgür Özel?
It refers to the allegation that the current administration is using the judiciary and legal pressure to block the democratic transition of power to a future government.
Why was the website akpden.com blocked?
According to Özel, the site was blocked on the grounds of threatening national security after it published calculations showing the high tax burden (ÖTV and KDV) on vehicle purchases.
Do you believe judicial processes can remain independent when high-ranking political figures are directly involved in the investigations?
