The office of the chief public prosecutor of Van, pointing out that the Van based operation carried out across 6 cities which was widely covered by the media was not targeting any NGOs in its statement asserted that:
“Following the unfounded allegations relating the investigation to a particular NGO thus claiming that the operations were against the particular NGO, it became necessary to issue a press release in order to give accurate information to the public in order to protect real and juristic person’s proof of innocence and their right to freedom from defamation.”
The statement expressed that operation on 14th January was carried out in accordance with the search warrant and custody decision issued by the authorized magistrate on 13th January in accordance with Article 10. of TMK due to the evidences uncovered by the investigation initiated by deputy chief prosecutor in 2012. The statement included the following:
"25 suspects, including 18 in Van, 3 in Istanbul, 1 in Kilis, 1 in Gaziantep, 1 in Adana and 1 in Kayseri, are taken into custody in accordance with the custody decisions made as a result of the investigation carried out. During the operation, it was decided to make search in the Office address of the suspect in Kilis and according to that decision Kilis Police Department sent law enforcement officers to the Office where the suspect works and all the computers in the office were confiscated. When our office of the chief public prosecutor in Van was informed about it the orders were given for all of the computers belonging to the NGO where the suspect works to be returned without further viewing and this order was carried out accordingly. The allegations that appeared in the media have no relation with the truth as the investigation in question is not about any NGO."
The statement also pointed out that the search in a branch office of the NGO has no connection with its corporate body and the investigation in question carried out by 4 authorized public prosecutors shall be concluded as soon as possible.
