Embattled businessman Cem Uzan seeks asylum in France

Uzan, a businessman who was in the past active in various branches of business from banking to media and later chairman of the Young Party (GP), left the country in early October, fearing jail time over a fraud conviction. His whereabouts were unknown, with some speculating that he might be in Jordan. On Monday night Uzan's lawyer, Şaylan Çığgın, announced that his client had been granted asylum in France. Despite the lawyer's statement, news reports have claimed that Uzan has only been given a three-month residence permit while France reviews Uzan's asylum request.

In August an international court of arbitration overturned Uzan's objection to a Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) takeover of his two Polish-based companies, Cementownia Nowa Huta and Polska Energetyka Holding. Uzan was sentenced to prison for hiding credit-loading cards for cell phone lines belonging to GSM operator Telsim in an empty pool at his villa.

Another lawsuit filed against Turkey by Cyprus-based investment company Libananco -- allegedly a front company for Uzan -- to recoup shares of two companies confiscated by the state from Uzan is still being heard.

The TMSF had managed to get an international travel ban for Uzan issued by the court, but that failed to prevent Uzan's escape.

Çığgın in yesterday's statement said: “Cem Uzan has been subject to various difficulties because of an incessant political lynching campaign against him that was started in June of 2003. My client, Cem Uzan, has been obliged to deal with court cases filed against him and his young children because of political pressure. Cem Uzan feels deep gratitude to France, which has granted him asylum, after all the undeserved pain he has gone through. It is very significant that France, one of the most important states in the world, has granted asylum to Uzan. From now on, he will continue his life in France.” However, experts say Çığgın's statement can only mean that Uzan's application has been accepted as it takes between six months to a year for that country's immigration agencies to settle an asylum request.

Officials from the French Ministry of Immigration also made a statement yesterday, saying Uzan has been issued a three-month residence permit. They stated that they are reviewing Uzan's application. Turkish diplomatic sources say it is unlikely that Uzan will be granted political asylum.

Meanwhile, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli criticized Uzan's asylum-seeking in France, saying such an act is not politically ethical or patriotic of a person who has taken on important responsibilities, first in business then in politics. “We do not approve of such behavior,” he said.

In June 2003 the TMSF took over İmarbank and Adabank, two Uzan banks, accusing the Uzan family of taking part in a scheme to siphon off millions of dollars from the two financial institutions. The TMSF, which compensated Uzan's clients and account holders for the money they lost in the bank, said Uzan's debts in regards to the two banks topped TL 3 billion. In order to recoup the money, the TMSF took over 200 companies of the Uzan family group, including Star Media, two cement companies and the Telsim GSM company.

Uzan was sentenced to three years, six months in jail in a case filed against him by the Küçükçekmece Prosecutor's Office on Jan. 10, 2005, after a four-and-a-half-year trial. The sentence was appealed, and the case is currently awaiting review by the Supreme Court of Appeals. If the high court upholds the sentence, Uzan will go to jail. However, Uzan has been barred from international travel as he is now a suspect along with 33 others in a case being heard by the İstanbul 8th High Criminal Court, facing charges of “establishing an organization and being a member of it with the intent to commit a crime,” “embezzlement,” “fraud” and “fraud against the state.” The other suspects include his father, Kemal Uzan, siblings Murat Hakan Uzan and Ayşegül Uzan Akay and uncles Yavuz and Bahattin Uzan.