Nicosia, Cyprus. Turkish Cypriot police on Tuesday launched an investigation into the north’s “parliament speaker” Ziya Ozturkler after a January police report alleged he coerced university officials to award degree certificates under false pretences.
Allegations raised during court proceedings
The allegations against Ozturkler emerged in the trial of Fatma Unal, described as a close personal associate of the north’s “prime minister” Unal Ustel.
In the trial, prosecution witness Serdal Gunduz, who was sentenced to 15 years in jail for his role in the “fake diploma scandal,” said Ozturkler pressured university employees into awarding a degree to Unal.
It has also been alleged that Ozturkler coerced university employees into handing out degree certificates under false pretences and later gifted “TRNC” citizenship to those he coerced.
Ozturkler’s response and calls to resign
Ozturkler has denied the accusations and in January asked the Turkish Cypriot legislature, “are we going to act based on the reputation of someone who received a 15-year jail sentence and has been convicted on hundreds of counts?”
During the same session, multiple “MPs” called on him to resign, and CTP’s Dogus Derya labelled him a “liar” and a “fraud.”
Plagiarism and other claims cited in parliament
In the same session, Derya referred to accusations reported in some media outlets in recent years that Ozturkler plagiarised part of his doctorate thesis.
“You are creating the impression that someone came out of the sky and slandered you. However, since you did nothing regarding the accusations of plagiarism which were reported in the newspapers, this suspicion is reasonable,” she said.
Derya also described Ozturkler as “a person who exploited the academic process and failed to take the necessary actions, who is therefore tainted with suspicion,” and repeated accusations she made in 2024 that he had been given an envelope stuffed with cash by City Island University owner Talip Emiroglu in a restaurant car park.
Upcoming court date
Unal’s trial is scheduled to recommence on March 27.
What developments do you expect from the police investigation and the upcoming court session on March 27?
