New arrest warrant issued for Istanbul mayor’s son-in-law

ISTANBUL

An Istanbul court on June 16 issued a fresh arrest warrant for Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbaş’s son-in-law Ömer Faruk Kavurmacı, whose swift release triggered outrage from the public.

Kavurmacı was arrested as part of an operation against the Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON), which was affiliated with the Gülenist movement before being released by the Istanbul 5th Criminal Court of Peace on May 4 on the grounds that prison conditions were having a negative effect on the suspect, who was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2005. 

The court accepted the indictment against TUSKON regarding 86 suspects on June 16 and issued the arrest warrant for Kavurmacı.

Separately, the Istanbul 30th High Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for former Istanbul police chief Hüseyin Çapkın and former Denizli Gov. Abdülkadir Demir as part of an investigation into the Fethullahist Terror Organization (FETÖ), which is accused of perpetrating the July 2016 failed coup attempt.

The 309-page indictment accepted by the court on June 16 sought three aggravated life imprisonments for 15 suspects, including Çapkın and former Istanbul Gov. Hüseyin Avni Mutlu, over their suspected links to the organization. Thirteen suspects have been already been jailed.

The first hearing will be held on Aug. 23 at Istanbul’s Silivri court.

They had been charged over “violation of the constitution,” “attempt to destroy the Turkish Republic and the Turkish parliament by using physical violence” and “membership to a terrorist organization.” 

Çapkın was previously arrested in September 2016 but released two months later.