A founding partner of a private-run university in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) testified in a case against Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu in a notorious “fake diploma” investigation against the mayor.
Though his lawyers insisted on the authenticity of Imamoğlu’s diploma issued by Istanbul University, investigators questioned how he could transfer to the prestigious institution from a private university not recognized by the Turkish education authority in the year he was transferred.
Özalp Tozan of Girne American University testified to prosecutors in Istanbul in the case stemming from charges of “forgery of official documents.” Tozan is a “suspect” in the case in which Imamoğlu had testified earlier. He said that the university was an affiliate of a U.S.-based university and its diplomas or existence were not recognized by the Board of Higher Education in Türkiye for the period between 1986 and 1992.
He also denied acquaintance with Imamoğlu, although the latter cited him among his references in his application to Istanbul University in 1990. “I don’t know why he gave my name. Istanbul University never called me about it,” he said.
Tozan told investigators it was impossible to be transferred to a state-run university in Istanbul from a private-run university in Turkish Cyprus in any way, insisting that he was never familiar with anyone transferring to Istanbul University from his university. “We would oppose it anyway since we did not want to lose students,” Tozan said, adding that Turkish universities were well aware of regulations banning any transfers.
Imamoğlu testified on March 5 after the Chief Prosecutor’s Office in Istanbul launched an investigation into allegations of forgery in his diploma upon tip-offs and a subsequent report by the higher education authority.
The investigation may have hurt his chances of running for president, who is required to have a university diploma, though he can keep his job as mayor.
The mayor is the only candidate in a primary of his Republican People’s Party (CHP) to pick a name to run in what they hoped would be an early election to oust the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and its chair, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The mayor, already embattled with several lawsuits from insults to corruption of public officials, told the investigators that he enrolled in Turkish Cypriot university’s business administration department in 1988, and one year later, he found out about “others transferring to universities in Türkiye."
"In 1990, I followed the transfer procedure and applied (for transfer to Istanbul University,” the mayor said in his statement to prosecutors. When asked whether Necmettin Karaduman, a former Parliament speaker and an influential political figure of his time, played a role in his transfer, Imamoğlu said Karaduman was merely a friend of the family.
The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office now awaits a response to a letter to Istanbul University questioning the validity of Imamoğlu’s transfer to the prestigious school from the TRNC. Prosecutors asked the university to take measures if his transfer was against the law. “Measures” may involve the cancellation of his diploma, will stall the mayor’s ambitions to run for top office, and may even end up with him paying for damages to the state.
