Politics · Turkey · 2 hrs ago
Witness alleges Istanbul advertising tenders were decided in advance
The 104th hearing in a case involving Ekrem İmamoğlu took place in Istanbul, with witnesses giving evidence.
Selman Narman, a former lawyer at Culture AŞ, said some advertising tenders had winners and prices set in advance.
He said the tenders were for outdoor advertising areas and were first awarded to Culture AŞ by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and Media AŞ.
Narman alleged that senior officials decided which firms would get subcontracted work and what they would be paid.
Another witness, Furkan Yalçınkaya, described handling company cheques at the direction of a defendant, saying he had been told these were commercial dealings.
The testimony raises allegations of irregularities in public tenders, but the hearing account does not state what happens next.
A witness told an Istanbul court that some outdoor advertising tenders had winners and prices decided in advance.
Selman Narman, a former lawyer at municipal company Kültür AŞ, said the tenders were formalities and that subcontractors were assigned work after decisions were made.
He said Ekrem İmamoğlu and Murat Ongun were the top-level decision-makers, based on instructions passed down by his superiors.
Narman said three of the tenders were obtained from Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and two from Medya AŞ.
His testimony was heard during the 104th hearing in a corruption case involving former Istanbul Mayor İmamoğlu and others.
- Who
- Selman Narman, a former lawyer at Kültür AŞ, made the allegations. He named Ekrem İmamoğlu and Murat Ongun as top-level decision-makers.
- What
- Narman alleged that some outdoor advertising tenders had winners and prices decided in advance and were formalities.
- When
- At the 104th hearing, reported on November 5, 2026. He said two tenders were obtained in 2020 and one in 2021.
- Where
- At a hearing in Istanbul, in a courtroom opposite the Marmara Prison complex.
- Why
- Not stated
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Narman said two of the three tenders he recalled being obtained from Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality were obtained in 2020.
Narman said the third of those tenders was obtained in 2021.
Narman said Kültür AŞ’s then general manager called a meeting and announced that subcontracting would begin, sharing which companies would receive each part and at what price.
Narman gave evidence about the advertising tenders in the corruption case.
- Witness
- Selman Narman, a former lawyer at Kültür AŞ
- Tenders described
- Outdoor advertising-space tenders
- Tender sources
- Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and Medya AŞ
- Tenders recalled from Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality
- Three; two in 2020 and one in 2021
- Tenders recalled from Medya AŞ
- Two
2 sources
What people are saying
However, these were tenders whose winners and tender prices were known in advance.
At the top level, the decision-makers are Ekrem İmamoğlu and Murat Ongun.
Murat Ongun is the second man after the mayor. It is as simple as that.