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Turkish actress Hande Ercel said she was upset that her name appeared in a drug-related investigation involving celebrities, while denying any use of illegal substances and telling prosecutors she had always been careful about how she lived because of her public profile.
According to Haberturk TV reporter Ceylan Sever, Ercel gave a statement to prosecutors as part of an investigation run by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office into alleged drug use among public figures. After her return to Istanbul, she went to the Istanbul Courthouse in Caglayan to testify and was later referred to the Forensic Medicine Institute for a drug test before being released.
Her prosecution statement, obtained by Haberturk, set out a clear denial of the accusations and framed her appearance in the file as deeply distressing.
In her testimony, Ercel said she was born in Balikesir in 1993, that she was continuing her education at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, and that she also worked as an actor. Referring to venues mentioned in the case file, she said she had only gone to the restaurant section of Bebek Hotel a few times for a business meeting and added that, beyond that, she did not have a nightlife.
She also said claims in the press about private parties hosted by certain businessmen did not involve her, adding that she had not attended any such events, did not know the people said to organize them, and had never even received an invitation.
Ercel told prosecutors that claims she had used narcotic or stimulant substances were untrue, and said she had never used such substances at any point in her life. She added that she tried to maintain a healthy lifestyle because of her work and said she had never seen Hakan Sabanci use drugs or stimulants either.
Keeping one of her most notable remarks intact, Ercel said: "I have been in front of the cameras for about 13 years, and because I am aware that there is a group I may influence, I have always paid attention to my lifestyle."
She went on to say she had tried to set an example and represent her country abroad in the best possible way, adding that she was saddened by having her name mentioned in such a file and did not accept the accusation against her.
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