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ANKARA — An Istanbul court issued on Thursday an international travel ban for two leading Turkish businessmen over their remarks on a wave of arrests of government critics.
The court imposed a travel ban on Orhan Turan, president of the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TUSIAD), and Omer Aras, a senior official of the group, as part of a criminal investigation. Prosecutors charged both businessmen last week with attempting to influence judicial proceedings over their criticism of the arrests of prominent figures. The opposition calls those arrests politically motivated.
During a TUSIAD meeting on Feb. 13, Aras and Turan criticized the latest wave of arrests by Turkish authorities targeting individuals across the political spectrum as well as the increasing number of criminal investigations into the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).
Among those arrested is Ayse Barim, a leading talent agent accused of attempting to overthrow the government over her alleged involvement in mass protests in 2013. Umit Ozdag, a far-right opposition leader, also remains behind bars since last month for allegedly inciting hatred among the public with his anti-immigration rhetoric.
A series of leading CHP figures, including Riza Akpolat, a district mayor in Istanbul, and Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu — the latter is seen as one of the top possible rivals of Erdogan in the next 2028 presidential election — are facing criminal investigations over what government critics describe as bogus charges.
“These events, which have occurred one after the other in a very short time, have caused concern in society,” Aras told TUSIAD members during the meeting.
Turan, for his part, stressed the need to strengthen the rule of law in the country. TUSIAD is the largest industrialist group in the country. « The rule of law is fundamental to a modern state, » Orhan said.
« If there is a problem here, problems will arise everywhere. If trust in the law is lost, distrust, instability and uncertainty will spread everywhere, » he added.
Last Friday, prosecutors began investigating Aras and subsequently Turan.
Roughly 4,500 companies operate under TUSIAD. The association accounts for half of Turkey’s non-public national income and handles 85% of foreign non-energy trade, according to its website.
Turan and Aras’ questioning came right after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan targeted TUSIAD in a speech on Wednesday.
“In Turkey, you will know your place. If you are a business association, you will learn to act like one,” Erdogan said, addressing his ruling Justice and Development Party lawmakers at parliament.
“You will not incite the public, you will not provoke government institutions and you will not attempt to pressure the judiciary.”
Hours after Erdogan’s speech, both Turan and Aras were taken to an Istanbul courthouse by police, television footage showed. Their questioning took roughly six hours.
International organizations including the European Union and rights groups argue that the erosion of the rule of law in Turkey has deepened since its shift to an executive presidency system in 2018 under Erdogan, reducing checks and balances.