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Authorities in Turkiye launched an investigation on Wednesday into alleged drug use involving 19 high-profile public figures, including singers Hadise Acikgoz and Irem Derici, actresses Demet Evgar and Berrak Tuzunatac, and social media personalities Duygu Ozaslan and Derin Talu.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that the probe concerns the offense of "using narcotic or stimulant substances," under Turkish penal law. Officials clarified that the investigation does not involve detention orders but requires the individuals to provide statements and undergo blood testing.
The Istanbul Provincial Gendarmerie Command carried out the operation, escorting a large group of celebrities and public figures to health centers for blood sample collection before transferring them to the Gendarmerie Command for testimony.
The list provided by the prosecutor’s office includes well-known singers, actors, television personalities, and social media influencers. Among them are Ziynet Sali, Kubilay Aka, Kaan Yildirim, Mert Yazicioglu, Metin Akdulger, Ceren Moray, Ozge Ozpirincci, Engin Polat, Dilan Polat, Deren Talu, Zeynep Meric Aral, Birce Akalay, and lawyer Feyza Altun.
The prosecutor’s office emphasized that the investigation is limited to verifying allegations of drug use and does not extend to arrests or charges at this stage.
In Türkiye, investigations into narcotic use are handled under Article 191 of the Turkish Penal Code, which covers the use of drugs and stimulants. The law allows authorities to order treatment, rehabilitation, or probation rather than imprisonment in cases involving personal use, depending on the findings of the investigation.
The outcome of the inquiry will depend on toxicology results and subsequent legal evaluations.
On Nov. 6, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office issued a non-prosecution decision for seven of the celebrities after toxicology analyses showed no trace of narcotic or stimulant substances.
The Forensic Medicine Institute examined both blood and hair samples from Hadise Acikgoz, Mert Yazicioglu, Demet Evgar, Ozge Ozpirincci, Meric Aral, Ceren Moray, and YouTuber Duygu Ozaslan. All seven tested negative, and the investigation concerning them has been formally closed.
Media reports state that forensic analyses previously detected narcotic substances in samples belonging to Dilan Polat, Derin Talu, Berrak Tuzunatac, Deren Talu, Birce Akalay, Kubilay Aka, Metin Akdulger, and Kaan Yildirim.
In addition, samples from Irem Derici, Engin Polat, Ziynet Sali, and lawyer Feyza Altun tested positive for pharmaceutical compounds rather than illicit drugs. The wider investigation into these individuals remains ongoing.
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