Ahbap Investigation: Testimonies of Öykü Serter, Gökhan Özoğuz, and Ece Üner Revealed

Journalist Ece Üner, musician Gökhan Özoğuz, and presenter Öykü Serter appeared in court as witnesses as part of an investigation into the Ahbap Association. The probe centers on claims that some donated funds were transferred to accounts belonging to suspects.

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I was actively working in the field as a reporter during the 1999 Adapazarı earthquake. I witnessed the process that occurred at that time up close. Due to this, I have personal sensitivity on issues related to natural disasters. More precisely, the human scenes I witnessed firsthand due to my profession at that time created trauma in me. I personally even pulled out body parts from under the ground at that time. I witnessed people being unable to reach each other. This deeply wounded me.

Serter explained that her personal sensitivity to natural disasters stems from her work as a reporter during the 1999 Adapazarı earthquake, an event that left her traumatized. She stated that her recent tweets, made after the devastating February 6 earthquakes that claimed nearly 50,000 lives, were an expression of anger and shared grief. Serter clarified that she did not believe state aid organizations were insufficient at the time, nor did she direct anyone to Ahbap or any other private aid organization. She also stated she does not personally know Haluk Levent and has never had any commercial or financial dealings with him or the Ahbap association.

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I posted my tweets in that state of anger. When I was posting those tweets, I did not think that state aid organizations were insufficient; I expressed my feelings to share the common pain. I did not direct or refer people to AHBAP or any private aid organization in any way.

"It is not possible for me to accept such profit-making activities," Serter told investigators, emphasizing her opposition to exploiting people's difficult situations for personal gain. She drew a parallel between her reaction to delayed aid and her condemnation of those who misuse people's emotions for profit.

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I have never had any personal relationship with Haluk Levent at any point in my life. I have not had any commercial relationship or money exchange with him. Similarly, I have not had such a relationship with the association named AHBAP.

Özoğuz, a musician, stated in his testimony that he has no acquaintance with Haluk Levent, the president of Ahbap, or any of the association's managers or members. He indicated that his knowledge of Levent comes from the media and their shared industry.

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It is not possible for me to accept such profit-making activities. Just as I react to aid arriving late and people not being reached, I am always against such actions that exploit people's difficult situations and abuse people's emotions.