Following arrest of 16 people including administratives of Turkish Red Crescent at Sancaktepe Branch for "starting a gang, selling Turkish Red Crescent's properties to make personal gains" a statement like a confession has been made by chairperson of the Red Crescent Branch in Sancaktepe, in Istanbul.

A statement was made regarding the arrest of 16 people including Turkish Red Crescent administratives in Sancaktepe. The group in question was arrested for forming a gang and selling properties belonging to the Turkish Red Crescent. According to the news article published by İsmail Arı on BirGün Daily, Red Crescent local chair for Sancaktepe, Hilmi Yazıcı who is also revealed to occupy the seat of Financial Director at AKP Sancaktepe Municipality, referred to the incidents as "unpleasant".

"WE ARE SADDENED IN THE FACE OF SUCH UNPLEASANT INCIDENTS"

In the statement, Red Crescent's local chair Yazıcı said "here we are struggling to be productive for god's sake, seeing 'unpleasant incidents' like this and similar ones has deeply saddened us and the board. Whoever attempts to take a benefit in others' rights, or stain our 152 years old Red Crescent, may God curse them."

"NO CLEAR INFORMATION"

Local Red Crescent chair Yazıcı continued his statement, "in our Sancaktepe branch, as part of the legal investigation -known to the general Headquarters of Red Crescent- we have filed criminal complaint against those cited in the incident. Current board has no investigation records and have no involvement in the incident stated. The incident is handled at the prosecutor's office and there is an order of secrecy about it. For that reason we have no clear information about the incident."

EXPECTATION OF DISMISSAL UNTIL CLEARANCE

Sancaktepe Municipality's CHP member of the municipal council Osman Aldemir announced that the opposition party will be closely monitoring the developments, "why is there an order of secrecy? Are they trying to hide the political links of the incident at the Red Crescent? Sancaktepe Red Crescent local chair is also the Financial Services Director of AKP Sancaktepe Municipality. Mayor Şeyma Döğücü has to share the contents of the claims about her director with the residents of her city, and we are expecting the director's dismissal until the investigation is completed. There has to be made a through investigation of the director's actions since he was appointed in 2019 to make sure there is no damages done to the public funds. The public opinion can only be relaxed after an investigator is sent from the Ministry of Interior."

SELLING THE DONATED AID

CHP group deputy chair at Sancaktepe Municipal Council, İlknur Ünlü said "we have learned so far that this group has sold the donated clothes and made profits illegally. This is damaging the trust on the Turkish Red Crescent; people are giving donations to this institute because they trust it. They are trusting their blood, life and properties... However there is no institution left that partisan attitudes did not fill. The institutions that previously were embraced by the whole society in the past are now being referred to their involvement in corruption. This is hurting us deeply. The institutions led by incompetent people are being emptied inside. As they are engaging in actions which can be referred to as 'theft' they are damaging the trust on these institutions in the eyes of the people."