The right to property has been persistently under attack by Erdogan Regime under anti-terror laws and state of emergency rule. Article 133 of the Turkish Criminal Procedure Code (TCPC) which was applied only once from the date it entered into force (2005) to 2015; has been using roughly by Erdogan Regime to annihilate its dissidents since the October of 2015.
Pursuant to Article 133 of the TCPC, if one of its shareholders or the company itself is being investigated for offences related to terrorism, the company may be seized by appointing trustee with the decision of the Peace Criminal Judge.
As being the first victim, On the 26th October 2015, Koza Ipek Holding, was seized by Erdogan Regime; the entire management of 22 companies, including the media group with its two TV channels and two daily newspapers, was given to a pro-government trustee board. According to our survey 412 enterprises which were running by 273 separate companies were seized from October 2015 to 15th July 2016 in the 37 provinces of Turkey.
Even though the vast majority of these 412 enterprises were private schools, dormitories, education centres and media outlets running by Gulen affiliated peoples, there were also big companies such as Koza Ipek Holding Co and Kaynak Holding Co. By the decrees issued after failed coup attempt schools, dormitories, education centres and media outlets were shut down and appointed trustees removed. Under state of emergency rule (came into force 21st July 2016) Erdogan Regime’s policy of seizing assets of dissidents went into new phase; with new emergency decrees, the company seizing policy was centralized, the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (SDIF / TMSF) was authorized to run and liquidate (without waiting the end of jurisdiction) the seized companies.
Since 15th July 2016; 1019 companies were transferred to the SDIF, according to our survey at least 850 of them were seized after the failed coup attempt. This 1019 separate companies are running thousands of branches. For instance;
- Suvari Giyim Co (clothing company) seized by decision of Adana Peace Criminal Judge has 148 branches in 14 different countries,
- Boydak Holding seized by decision of Kayseri Peace Criminal Judge is running 34 separate companies; only 2 of 34 companies, Bellona and Istikbal Co have 1240 furniture (franchise) stores across the world. Boydak Holding employs 13000 worker and creates indirectly 110000 employment.
- Huge companies which are among the biggest 500 of Turkey such as Koza, Dumankaya, Akfa, Orkide, Sesli, Naksan were seized and tranferred to SDIF too.
As of 10 December 2017, there are 1019 (seized) companies which are being run by the SDIF. Total worth of these companies is at least $11.32 billion.
Five of seized companies are seen as foreign investment.
Seized companies are active in all areas of business and trade life such as investment, mining, petrol station, automotive, autogas, energy, transportation, food, agriculture, restaurant, home textile (curtain, carpet), furniture, jewellery, pharmacy shop, stationery store, financial consulting, law office, hardware, metal industry, decoration, delivery service, information technologies and others. (AY)
The seized 1019 companies are located in 49 provinces of Turkey.
Categories: Reports, Situation in Turkey, Turkey Human Rights Blog