Sedat Peker, Turkish mafia boss, has remained silent since November 2021 despite having been put on Turkey’s agenda following specific accusations he made in videos he posted online nearly a year ago. He justified this by referring to the arrangement he reached with UAE officials (Özçolak). Medyascope questioned Peker's attorney Ersan Barkın on the most recent developments; Peker claims that he will continue to release videos as the election season draws near.
Stating that he met with Peker at least once a week, Barkın said the following about Peker's current life:
["I am aware that he has lived in the same house for about as long as he has been in the United Arab Emirates. due to the fact that we are meeting in the exact location. Most of the time, we meet not just over the phone but also via video conferencing (Özçolak). Since leaving for the United Arab Emirates, he, his wife, and their children have lived in the same house. They have a similar social scene to Turkey, I can say. It wasn't a family with a really open social life here either. According to what I understand, they live a little more cautiously and attentively without endangering their own safety.](Yeni Video: Peker Aylar sonra ortaya çıktı)
According to Halk TV reporter Ismail Saymaz, Barkın responded to the claim that Peker will speak out closer to election dates by saying the following:
["I am unaware of the problems that Ismail Saymaz alluded to in his speech. However, I have never witnessed Mr. Saymaz comment on Mr. Peker or any other subject without conducting a thorough investigation and gaining proper understanding.] Yeni Video: Peker Aylar sonra ortaya çıktı)
Although Peker's extradition is not currently justified legally, according to Barkın, the matter nevertheless has political implications:
["His extradition is only a political matter at this point. Our legal response is: ‘First, there is a red notice request that has not yet been granted. Second, there is no extradition pact between Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. Third, no international extradition treaty is in effect, as the UAE is not a signatory. It could still be extradited, of course, even if there is no extradition treaty. There are numerous instances. Depending on how the Turkish state and the UAE are politically related. Of course, it matters to what extent the cases in which he is prosecuted in Turkey are important.’]
Ersan Barkın responded when asked if Sedat Peker has any future plans by stating that due to the nature of their relationship, he isn’t aware of what Peker intends to do, reaffirming the way they interact by stating, “ As long as it does not support legal proceedings, it does not share any information with me.” (Özçolak).
Work Cited
Özçolak, Aytuğ. “Sedat Peker'in Avukatı Medyascope'a Konuştu - Peker Nerede, NE Yapıyor, Tekrar Video Yayınlayacak Mı?” Medyascope, 20 Apr. 2022, https://medyascope.tv/2022/04/19/sedat-pekerin-avukati-medyascopea-konustu-peker-nerede-ne-yapiyor-tekrar-video-yayinlayacak-mi/.
“Yeni Video: Peker Aylar Sonra Ortaya Çıktı.” Anasayfaya Dönmek Için Tıklayın, 22 Feb. 2022, https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/turkiye/yeni-video-peker-aylar-sonra-ortaya-cikti-1910221.