The Turkish authorities arrested a former minister who is also vice-president of the ruling Justice and Development Party, led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, against the backdrop of her alleged involvement in a stock price manipulation scandal involving a number of investment funds, according to what was reported by the Associated Press.
Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya resigned from her position as Vice President of the Justice and Development Party last September, shortly after allegations emerged that she had sold shares worth tens of millions of dollars ahead of the regulatory bodies’ decision to liquidate those investment funds due to suspicions of manipulation.
The official Anadolu Agency reported that Kaya, who held the Family and Social Affairs portfolio between 2016 and 2018, was placed in detention late on Thursday, awaiting a possible trial on charges that include belonging to a criminal organization and violating the Turkish financial markets law.
As for her husband, he was released on the condition that he appear regularly before the police, following a second round of interrogation to which the couple underwent.
Turkey's main opposition party accused Kaya of obtaining 2.17 billion Turkish liras ($43 million), after she reportedly invested 163 million liras ($3 million) in one of those funds.
For their part, the couple denied any wrongdoing, but they transferred part of the profits to an account designated by banking regulatory authorities, according to media reports.
In a related context, the Turkish Minister of Justice, Akin Gorlik, stated this week that more than 430 people are under investigation on suspicion of involvement in market manipulation and exploitation of inside information, noting that 112 of them have already been arrested as part of this scandal.
Regional contacts intensified yesterday (Thursday) to curb the return of war between the United States and Iran, amid anticipation in Tehran for the decision of US President Donald Trump after the Republicans lost the congressional elections, and Iranian warnings of Washington’s readiness to resume strikes.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi held contacts with his counterparts in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Turkey and Jordan. Araghchi discussed with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan regional developments and efforts made to enhance the security and stability of the region.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf accused Trump of preparing for “the next phase of the war,” and said that the United States stands “on the brink of the abyss” under the slogan “Israel first.” Qalibaf addressed US Vice President J.D. Vance, who held the war responsible for the defeat of the Republicans, saying: “Why don’t you say that to your president?”
In Moscow, Secretary of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, delivered Russian President Vladimir Putin an urgent message from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, the contents of which were not revealed. Rezaei said that Putin expressed his willingness to provide “any assistance” to end the war, and they discussed the post-war phase and “security arrangements in the region.”
The New York Times reported that Iran is studying “concrete proposals” presented by mediators regarding its nuclear program, noting that Rezaei expressed in the unannounced talks an openness to discussing the file, despite his stated conditions. She added that the dispute continues over the stock of highly enriched uranium, and that the American and Israeli armies have prepared plans for a “short and intense” operation that may target energy facilities and nuclear sites.
Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot received support from the Joint Arab List, which strengthens his path to forming a government, while his rival, Benjamin Netanyahu, lost the support of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish party that had been an important ally of his bloc for years.
Hebrew media reported yesterday (Thursday) that 67 out of 120 members of Parliament (the Knesset) recommended appointing Eisenkot, during meetings conducted by Israeli President Isaac Herzog, to decide the name of the person he intends to assign to form the government. The elections that took place less than two weeks ago did not produce a winner, and neither Netanyahu nor Eisenkot were able to secure a parliamentary majority.
Yesterday, the Joint Arab List, which won 11 seats in the elections, announced its support for Eisenkot to form the government, even though he said before the elections that he did not intend to ally with the Arab representatives.
The list justified its support by saying that it is important to “widen the gap between them (Netanyahu and Eisenkot), as this is a step that enhances the chances of replacing the government.”
Meanwhile, Netanyahu's shares declined, after the United Torah Judaism Party, one of the two main parties representing ultra-Orthodox Jewish voters and an important and long-standing ally of Netanyahu, declined yesterday to recommend any candidate to form the government.
