Turkish deputy minister’s nepotism caught on camera

Turkish Deputy Justice Minister Ramazan Can was caught on Fox TV cameras while responding to nepotism request messages on his cell phone. The ruling AKP deputy Mehmet Ali Çelebi was among those who requested a civil servant position for someone who applied for the job.

Thursday January 04 2024 11:53 pm

Duvar English

Turkish Deputy Justice Minister Ramazan Can was caught on camera while responding to nepotism request messages.

Ramazan Can, who attended the Professional Practice Competitions Award Ceremony organized by the Turkish Justice Academy at the Court of Cassation building, was caught by Fox TV cameras while responding to such messages sent to his cell phone.

Can was seen reading, responding and forwarding messages to his assistant. One of the messages read, “I work as a social worker at the Justice Academy. I told you that I took the promotion exam, you asked me to send you my information. I am forwarding it, best regards.”

Can was also seen responding “We have taken our note and we will follow inshallah,” to a similar message.

On the other hand, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputy Mehmet Ali Çelebi was also among the ones who requested a civil servant position for someone who applied for the job.

After the reporting stirred a huge reaction, Çelebi argued that he was making such a request for a martyr’s father.

“Upon the request of R.O., a martyr's father from İzmir, I told our Deputy Justice Minister Ramazan Can ‘Please be informed that our brother who is being interviewed is a martyr's relative, for your appreciation!’ and asked for sensitivity to be shown in the interview. Is this nepotism?,” Çelebi said.

İzmir’den ŞEHİT BABASI R.O.’nun ricası üzerine Adalet Bakan Yardımcımız Ramazan Can’a “Mülakata giren kardeşimiz şehit yakını bilginiz olsun, takdirlerinize!” diyerek mülakatta bu konuda hassasiyet gösterilmesini istemem torpilmiş.

Şehit cenazesinden çıkıp DEM’lenmeye… pic.twitter.com/LPlorpEvD8
— Mehmet Ali Çelebi (@celebimehmeta) January 3, 2024

Former AKP deputy Mehmet Metiner tried to normalize nepotism and argued “What could be more natural than a deputy minister or a minister receiving requests and demands from MPs? This is a process that has been practiced for years. MPs convey the demands of their constituents. Those in executive positions also act on the basis of merit. They also listen to the requests so that no injustice is done to anyone. What do you mean, MPs should not convey the demands of the people?”

Adalet Bakan Yardımcısı değerli kardeşim eski Kırıkkale milletvekilimiz Ramazan Can’ın malum odaklarca niçin hedef tahtasına oturtulduğunu biliyoruz elbet.

Bir ekran görüntüsü üzerinden kopartılan fırtına yanlış bir algı oluşturmaya dönük siyasi bir operasyondur.

Bir bakan…
— Mehmet Metiner (@MetinerBasin) January 4, 2024

Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç on Jan. 4 told journalists "Requests come from everywhere. It is the commission that will evaluate them. There may be references, there may be requests, but the evaluation is based on merit."