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The testimony of businessman Adem Soytekin, a key witness in the ongoing corruption investigation targeting Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, has unveiled details of a covert meeting where defense lawyers and officials discussed arrest scenarios, legal representation, and alleged efforts to help suspects flee the country.
Soytekin said in his statement that on March 7, 2025, he was informed of asset freezes imposed by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. Following this, he met with a group of lawyers, including Mehmet Pehlivan, Onur Buyukhatipoglu, and Yenal Buyukersen, alongside several municipal officials at the YTT Law Office under Turan Taskin Ozer’s coordination.
Before the meeting began, all participants surrendered their phones to avoid digital surveillance. Ozer outlined the anticipated police operations, assigning which lawyers would represent whom, and detailing the planned responses in case of detentions.
Soytekin also claimed that his lawyer Mehmet Pehlivan encouraged him to leave the country, referencing a prior escape of Emrah Bagdatli allegedly arranged by Murat Ongun. Despite Soytekin’s travel restrictions, Pehlivan allegedly assured him he could be smuggled out via Edirne with cash assistance.
Pehlivan reportedly told others that former Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu did not want certain suspects to leave the country and emphasized that all detainees had assigned lawyers prepared to coordinate their defense, including financial aid if arrests were made.
The meeting included discussions on the investigation's focus on Medya A.S., with Pehlivan asserting former mayor Imamoglu would not be detained. Soytekin said the entire defense strategy was built on the assumption that Imamoglu would not be arrested, and that the mayor’s actual detention disrupted their plans.
Soytekin recalled tensions during the session, with participants questioning the necessity of Imamoglu’s presidential candidacy, expressing frustration over the political fallout. He described a chaotic atmosphere as officials wrestled with the looming consequences of the probe.
The testimony ends with Soytekin’s exit from the meeting after Turan Taskin assured him that senior figures were overseeing the process and that he was in safe hands.
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