Ankara court issues an arrest warrant in absentia for Koza ?pek chairman

Ankara Eighth Criminal Court of Peace has issued an arrest warrant in absentia for Ak?n ?pek, the chairman of Koza ?pek, a company with links to the Justice and Development Party?s (AKP) ally-turned-foe Fethullah Gülen. 

Ankara police on Sept. 1 raided 23 companies of the Koza ?pek conglomerate over ?giving financial support to the Fethullahist Terror Organization (FETÖ) and conducting its propaganda,? a police source told the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA) on condition of anonymity. 

Turkey?s Financial Crime Investigation Board (MASAK) launched the raid around 8 a.m. Sept. 1. During the search, police confiscated computers and documents, while also detaining seven suspects. 

The detained persons were released on probation by an Ankara court on Sept. 2.

Meanwhile, Ankara Eighth Criminal Court of Peace issued an arrest warrant in absentia for Ak?n ?pek, who is reportedly in the United Kingdom.

Speaking to reporters, Ak?n ?pek?s mother, Melek ?pek, denied allegations that her son fled to escape a trial. 

?Mr. Ak?n did not flee to U.K.; he would not and will not. There is no reason for him to escape. They can search seven stories below Earth and above it, but they cannot find a mistake of his,? Do?an News Agency quoted her saying.

A day before the raid, on Aug. 31, Ak?n ?pek released a written statement announcing 27 of his companies had been under financial inspection for the past two years.

?Our group cannot be part of any crime scenario, not even a fictional one,? he said, vowing to ?disprove the slander with documents.?

The raid against Koza ?pek was widely interpreted as a political move aimed at silencing opposition media.

In addition to opposition politicians and journalists,...