Serkan Kurtuluş, wanted for 33 crimes, brought to Istanbul and remanded in custody by Izmir court

Serkan Kurtuluş, the head of an organized crime group wanted via Interpol red notice for 33 separate crimes including premeditated murder and organizing a criminal enterprise, has been brought to Istanbul after a lengthy extradition process and remanded in custody by decision of Izmir 3rd Heavy Penal Court. Anadolu Agency reported the news.

The indictment against Kurtuluş was prepared by the Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in 2017 and accepted by Izmir 3rd Heavy Penal Court. After being brought to Turkey, Kurtuluş gave his initial statement via the Voice and Image Information System (SEGBİS). In his statement, Kurtuluş claimed that he has lived abroad for approximately 10 years and that he remained in custody in Argentina for 6 years 2 months and in Georgia for 8 months within the scope of this case, arguing that he was unaware of the charges.

In his defense, Kurtuluş argued that according to Turkish criminal law the period of custody cannot exceed 5 years and requested that the 7 years spent in detention abroad be counted and that he be tried without custody. The chief public prosecutor requested the continuation of custody, citing the state of existing evidence and the nature of the offenses; the court ruled in favor of remanding him in custody.

Among the crimes attributed to Kurtuluş are premeditated and intentional murder, organizing and managing a criminal enterprise, threats, aggravated robbery, and unlawful possession of hazardous materials. The extradition process that began following his arrest in Argentina in 2020 has exceeded four years.