Turkey Cracks Down on Earthquake Charity Ahbap, Detaining 13 and Questioning Celebrities
Turkey has intensified its investigation into the Ahbap charity, detaining 13 people in a fourth wave of arrests and questioning four well-known celebrities, as President Erdoğan accuses the aid group of manipulating the nation during last year's devastating earthquakes.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that newly uncovered evidence reveals how the state and the nation were manipulated during the February 6 earthquake process, suggesting that those who exploited the disaster are now being held accountable [206675]. His comments come as authorities escalate their probe into Ahbap, a charity founded by popular musician Haluk Levent that raised millions for earthquake survivors after the quakes killed more than 50,000 people [206675][205443].
In the latest move, Turkey’s Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç announced that 13 people were taken into custody in a fourth wave of detentions [205443]. Investigators are examining "home and container purchases, suspicious property transfers, checks issued by the association, and all aspects of its financial and commercial relationships," according to Minister of Justice Yılmaz Gürlek [205443]. Authorities have not specified the exact nature of the alleged wrongdoing [205443].
Separately, four well-known Turkish celebrities—singer Gülben Ergen, journalist Uğur Dündar, musician Hayko Cepkin, and actress Elçin Sangu—have given statements to prosecutors as part of the same investigation [206658]. Their questioning marks a significant development in the ongoing probe into the charity’s activities [206658].