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Organized crime leader Sedat Peker yesterday (May 25) released the recording of a video call between him and Reşat Hacıfazlıoğlu, whom he describes as a relative and an intermediary between him and Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu.
Peker released the video after Soylu admitted a day before that he knew Hacıfazlıoğlu. "If you have a gram of honor, don't sit at that post," he wrote on Twitter, addressing the minister.
Peker previously claimed that he was able to leave the country before being arrested thanks to Soylu, who had informed him about an investigation against him. It was Hacıfazlıoğlu who conveyed the minister's message to him, according to the mafia leader.
In YouTube videos viewed by millions of people since early May, Peker has been making serious allegations against current and former government officials, including international drug trafficking, political assassinations and corrupt practices.
Formerly a pro-government figure who even organized rallies with thousands of people in support of the ruling party, Peker had to leave Turkey in late 2019.
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One of the main targets of Peker, Minister Soylu denies any acquaintance with him whereas the mafia boss describes Soylu as "a man I've invested in for 20 years" and claims he had also promised him a return to the country in April.
Previously, Peker released the recording of a video call with journalist Hadi Özışık, who also seemed to be mediating between him and Soylu. After the revelation of the conversation, the minister filed a complaint against Özışık, who later admitted that he had the conservation without Soylu's knowledge.
The conversation he released yesterday shows that Peker also knows people from Soylu's extended family as Hacıfazlıoğlu tells him that everyone in the minister's family "thinks you are right."
In the video call, Peker complains that Soylu called him a "mafia scum" although he did not mention him in his first two videos. Hacıfazlıoğlu tries to reassure him, saying that it was probably a "blurt" and he would talk to the minister about the events.
The minister was under pressure to say something about Peker, Fazlıoğlu says, but agrees with Peker that calling him a "mafia scum" was too much.
Peker asks Hacıfazlıoğlu to talk to Soylu's father, whom he refers to as "big brother Hasan," or himself.
Soylu and the president's son-in-law
Peker says he did a lot of things for Soylu, eliminated all of his rivals, and even became enemies with Berat Albayrak, the former finance minister and the son-in-law of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
"I know," says Hacıfazlıoğlu and adds that they supported Soylu against Mehmet Ağar, a former interior minister who is also among Peker's main targets.
When Peker first went abroad in late 2019, he had released a video accusing Albayrak of conspiring against him. He had later backed down from his claims, saying he was misinformed.
In his new videos, he accuses Soylu of turning himself against Albayrak. A power struggle between Soylu and Albayrak has long been reported in Turkey's media.
"About Mr. Berat, [Soylu] said 'Release," and we released [videos]. He said 'Stop,' we stopped," Peker tells Hacıfazlıoğlu, who replies, "You are right. I'll give him the necessary answer, don't dwell on it."
When Peker asks what Soylu's relatives think about the events, Hacıfazlıoğlu says, "Everyone thinks you are right. I talked to someone who is very close to him. He says 'We are also surprised that such a thing happened'." (TP/VK)
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