A Turkish judge on Sunday ordered the arrest of Dilek Ekmekçi, a lawyer who accused far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leaders, allies of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, of involvement in the assassination of former Grey Wolves leader Sinan Ate?.
Ekmekçi was arrested by the ?stanbul 3rd Penal Court of Peace after being detained at the order of the ?stanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. Ekmekçi had previously filed a criminal complaint against prominent figures within the MHP and Grey Wolves, the MHP’s paramilitary wing, accusing them of orchestrating the murder of Ate? in December 2022.
Ekmekçi’s arrest came after MHP officials filed their own criminal complaint against her, accusing her of defamation and insulting public officials in a tweet. The tweet, which questioned the involvement of MHP leaders in a series of criminal activities, including Ate?’s assassination, was cited as the primary evidence against her.
Despite arguments made by her defense that Ekmekçi’s tweet was a form of exercising her right to free speech and that there was no substantial evidence to warrant her arrest, the court ruled for her detention on the grounds of suspicion of tampering with evidence and flight risk.
Ekmekçi, a noted criminal lawyer and academic, had been actively engaged in legal battles against what she described as a “network of corruption and organized crime” involving high-ranking members of the MHP and the Grey Wolves. Her criminal complaint named 25 individuals, including MHP Deputy Chairman ?zzet Ulvi Yönter, several MHP Central Executive Board members and ?stanbul provincial leaders.
Turkey: Lawyer arrested after accusing Erdo?an’s far-right allies of ex-Grey Wolves leader’s murder
