Court lifts travel ban on senior TÜSİAD officials

ISTANBUL

An Istanbul court on May 20 lifted the travel ban imposed on two top officials of the country’s leading business association, who are standing trial for the first time on charges of disseminating misleading information.

Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD)’s Chairman Orhan Turan and Mehmet Ömer Arif Aras, the president of the High Advisory Council (YİK), have been under judicial scrutiny since a controversial meeting held in February.

During the gathering, they contended that ongoing legal investigations targeting opposition figures, coupled with a series of incidents in the country, have deepened public concern and economic uncertainty.

Prosecutors have launched two inquiries against the businessmen: One for allegedly disseminating false information to the public and the other for purportedly attempting to exert influence over the judiciary.

The inaugural hearing concerning the former allegation was convened on May 20, during which the judicial control measures were also revoked, along with the travel ban against Turan and Aras.

Prosecutors earlier demanded up to five years in prison for the two men.

The second hearing is scheduled to take place on Sept. 23.

Both executives were interrogated earlier in February and were subsequently placed under a travel ban. In their statements to prosecutors in February, Turan and Aras denied the allegations and contested the travel ban, arguing that their work required frequent international visits.