The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched a narcotics investigation that led to the arrest of eight people including Habertürk Editor-in-Chief Mehmet Akif Ersoy and some anchors.
Following his arrest, Ersoy was dismissed from his position by the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF), which seized the news channel in September in a money laundering investigation into Can Holding, the most recent owner of the station.
Born in 1985, Ersoy, who comes from a conservative family and is known for his close ties to the AKP, climbed the ranks rapidly, becoming a leading figure in Turkey’s mainstream media.
In addition to Ersoy, suspects Mustafa Manaz, Ufuk Tetik and Ebru Gülan were accused of facilitating the use of narcotics, providing a setting for group sexual activity, and obtaining sectoral and financial benefits in exchange for sexual relations.
In his testimony, Ersoy rejected all the claims, including allegations of coercing women into sexual acts. While some of the dismissed female anchors cried on social media, a few had previously accompanied President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on international flights.
Former AKP MP Şamil Tayyar said that Ersoy had previously been slated for dismissal but remained in his position thanks to his influential friends.
Television anchors Ela Rumeysa Cebeci, Hande Sarıoğlu, and Meltem Acet were detained earlier as part of the investigation. The three individuals, who were charged with using narcotics or stimulants, were released after the proceedings were completed.
Istanbul police have recently intensified narcotics operations targeting public figures, but most collapsed after forensic reports.
