Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) lawyers and the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office asked the İstanbul 8th High Criminal Court on Oct. 2 to issue an arrest warrant for Uzan on the grounds that he is a suspect at large. The court previously rejected the request and ruled to evaluate the issue during Uzan's trial on Nov. 10. However, after Uzan's lawyer announced on Monday that his client was granted asylum in France, the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and the TMSF once again applied to the court seeking a warrant for Uzan. The court this time ruled to issue the warrant. If the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office's request is accepted by the Justice Ministry, an Interpol red notice can also be posted for Uzan's arrest.
Uzan, a businessman who was active in various sectors, from banking to media and later was chairman of the Young Party (GP), left the country in early October, apparently fearing a conviction for fraud and subsequent imprisonment. 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.
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 arising from 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 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.
