A court has ordered the main opposition Chair Özgür Özel to pay damages to Justice Minister Akın Gürlek in a ruling that did little to clarify how many properties the minister actually owns.
On Oct. 20, Istanbul's 3rd Civil Court of First Instance ruled in the mutual moral damages lawsuits filed between Gürlek and Özel over statements concerning Gürlek's assets.
The court partially upheld Gürlek's claim and ordered Özel to pay 750,000 lira in non-pecuniary damages. Özel's counterclaim seeking 1.1 million lira in damages from Gürlek was rejected. The ruling also stipulated that statutory interest would accrue from 17 March 2026.
As a prosecutor, Gürlek masterminded the judicial assault on opposition-run municipalities. On March 17, and soon after Gürlek was promoted to justice minister, Özel revealed a list of homes and land he said belonged to the minister, as well as properties that he said had previously been bought and sold by him.
Özel argued that it should be explained how a public official could have accumulated assets of that magnitude on a public-sector salary.
In response, Gürlek described the documents as 'fake and fabricated' and accused Özel of acting for political reasons. He claimed that Özel was attempting to distract attention from the Istanbul Municipality case and allegations raised in the case involving jailed Antalya Mayor Muhittin Böcek. He subsequently announced that he would file suit.
The lawsuit was not about whether Gürlek actually owned the properties. Rather, it concerned whether the statements made during that public dispute violated personal rights and reputation.
Özel argues that during the case Gürlek and his lawyers effectively acknowledged the authenticity of the property records. They deny that.
Özel plans to appeal and complains the court imposed damages without examining the records he says would clarify ownership. Gürlek's side argues that the case was about reputational harm and that Özel's statements were defamatory regardless of the ownership status.
