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Turkish lawyer Rezan Epozdemir was arrested on late Wednesday on bribery charges while facing a separate investigation for alleged ties to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and espionage activities, according to the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.
Epozdemir, known for representing high-profile murder cases, was detained during simultaneous searches of his home and Istanbul law office on Sunday.
A court ordered his arrest on charges of "mediating bribery" while rejecting prosecutors' request for judicial control measures on the terrorism and espionage allegations.
According to court documents, witness A.D. testified that Epozdemir accepted bribes in three separate incidents. In one 2021 case where Epozdemir had no legal representation role, the witness alleged he and an individual identified as C.C. received $150,000 in exchange for securing someone's release from detention.
The witness claimed $75,000 was paid before the release and the remaining $75,000 afterward, with C.C. delivering the first payment to Epozdemir on July 7, 2021. WhatsApp message records allegedly corroborate the July 7 payment, according to prosecutors.
The espionage investigation centers on a photograph from late 2024 showing Epozdemir at a dinner with individuals allegedly connected to foreign intelligence services. Phone location data confirmed Epozdemir was at the photographed location on June 21, 2024, between 8:26 p.m. and 11:04 p.m.
Prosecutors identified dinner attendees Michael Rubin as having ties to U.S. intelligence services and conducting activities "against the Turkish Republic," while Dan Arbell was described as connected to Israel's Foreign Ministry and indirectly to Mossad intelligence services. Arbell served as mission chief at Israel's Washington embassy from 2009-2012.
After Epozdemir's detention, Michael Rubin posted on social media, which prosecutors cited as evidence supporting the charges. The indictment noted that phone records showed Epozdemir had "notable meetings" with individuals facing FETO-related charges.
"The suspect's meeting with these individuals cannot be evaluated as compatible with the ordinary course of life," prosecutors wrote, adding that evidence collection continues.
In a statement posted to Epozdemir's social media account on Sunday, his representatives called the detention "completely a setup."
"This setup was orchestrated by someone who previously attempted to frame my client—a lawyer who has misled institutions," the statement read.
Regarding the photograph evidence, the statement argued: "If a detention order is being implemented against me based on such a photograph, then everyone who participated in these meetings should be detained and investigated."
Epozdemir gained prominence representing the family of Munevver Karabulut, who was murdered by Cem Garipoglu in Istanbul on March 3, 2009. He also represented the family of 27-year-old Pinar Gultekin, killed by Cemal Metin Avci in 2020.
Most recently, Epozdemir' was representing the family of 14-year-old Mattia Ahmet Minguzzi, who was stabbed to death in Kadikoy. He had reported receiving death threats related to this case and announced that an arrest warrant was issued for a suspect who had threatened him and the victim's family.
Authorities also detained the secretary of former Republican Prosecutor Cengiz Cali in connection with the Epozdemir investigation. The prosecutor's office had extended Epozdemir's detention period by one day on Aug. 11 before his court appearance.
Police confiscated various digital materials during searches and imposed travel restrictions on Epozdemir's passport.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office confirmed the investigation involves two separate case files with charges of "bribery," "aiding FETO/PDY armed terrorist organization," and "political and military espionage."
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