Erdogan defended his minister of interior affairs against accusations of corruption
May 27, 2021, 6:55 pm

Erdogan

Tuvan GumrukcuEce Toksabay

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan defended his embattled interior minister on Wednesday against accusations of corruption from a mob boss, saying the allegations were an attack against Turkey.

A series of videos by convicted gang leader Sedat Peker has amassed tens of millions of views on YouTube. In them, he makes uncorroborated allegations regarding suspicious deaths, rape and drug dealing, and alleges links to officials close to Erdogan. read more

Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu has denied Peker's accusations directed at him. But the videos have prompted harsh criticism from opposition parties, threatening Erdogan's government and playing a role in pushing the lira currency to near a record low. read more

In his first public address of the issue, Erdogan said the allegations - some over events from decades ago - were part of a chain of attacks against the country.

"We stand with our interior minister in his battle with criminal gangs, as well as terrorist organisations," Erdogan told lawmakers from his AK Party (AKP) in parliament.

Turkey would bring criminals to justice, wherever they were, he added.

Erdogan's comments come after the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and its ally, the Iyi Party, redoubled calls for an early election and for Soylu's resignation over the videos.

Erdogan said a general election would be held as scheduled in 2023.

ELECTION JITTERS HIT CURRENCY

Soylu has filed a criminal complaint against Peker and called for him to be charged with slander.

He also asked for his claims to be investigated and denied the accusations against himself in a three-hour televised interview on Monday. Critics say he has not properly addressed the allegations.

The lira slid 1% against the dollar on Tuesday to near an all-time low, as bankers said worries about an early election grew. Against the euro , it logged a new low on Tuesday, before stabilising on Wednesday.

Peker, 49, has served several jail sentences in Turkey and said he was now in Dubai. He has referred to Soylu as his "return ticket" to Turkey and called on him to resign "if you have a drop of dignity".

On Wednesday, Erdogan said the judiciary would investigate all allegations.

"No claim ... from the past will be left in the open, everything will be investigated by the judiciary, all the lies and accusations will be cleared," he said. "Nobody should doubt that Turkey is a democratic state of law."

Reuters, May 26, 20213:32 PM EEST

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”