Seçil Erzan's 102-year prison sentence overturned in retrial

The previous 102-year prison sentence handed to former bank manager Seçil Erzan for 'qualified fraud' and 'forgery of private documents' has been overturned by the Istanbul Regional Court of Justice. The appellate court ruled that the original verdict lacked necessary information regarding joined files, making oversight difficult, and noted procedural errors.

Following the reversal, Erzan appeared before the Istanbul 29th High Criminal Court for a retrial. During her defense, Erzan claimed she was not treated fairly in previous proceedings and argued that her statements were taken out of context. She alleged that she was under significant pressure, stating, “I did not establish a system,” and claimed she was forced to sign documents under duress after being assaulted in front of her mother.

Erzan also addressed allegations involving high-profile figures, such as footballer Arda Turan, denying any intent to defraud and stating she had already returned funds to him. Despite her requests for release, the court decided to maintain her continued detention. The trial has been adjourned, with the next hearing scheduled for October 9.