Translated with AI
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has issued an arrest warrant for 32-year-old Turkish actress and model Hande Erçel as part of a drug investigation, according to the Turkish newspaper Sabah.
According to information, the actress has not yet been detained because she is outside of Turkey.
This refers to a detention order, which in Turkish legal practice is issued as part of a criminal investigation. This document grants law enforcement agencies the right to take a person into custody for questioning and other investigative actions. However, such an order does not constitute an arrest in the sense understood by the Russian legal system, meaning placement in a pretrial detention facility by court order for a specified period.
As part of the same operation, arrest warrants were issued for 15 more individuals. According to available reports, 14 of them have already been detained.
The investigation is considering a number of charges, including the production and illegal trafficking of narcotic substances, the provision of places, equipment or materials facilitating their use, and the promotion or facilitation of prostitution.
The actress herself stated that she intends to testify upon returning to Turkey. In her statement on social media, she noted that she learned of the events from the news.
"Last night, like you, I learned about this from the news <…> I love my country and trust my government and the Turkish justice system. I believe the situation will be clarified as soon as possible," she wrote.
Hande Erçel gained widespread recognition for her roles in Turkish television series. One of her most famous roles was as Eda Yıldız in the series "Knock on My Door." She also starred in "The Kinglet," "Black Pearl," and "Güneş's Daughters."
Turkish series, known as turdizi (from türk dizileri, meaning "Turkish series"), are a popular television format that often incorporates elements of melodrama, family saga, crime, or historical drama. They are characterized by long episodes and a large number of complex storylines.
In recent years, turdisi has become a significant export product for Turkey and has gained a wide audience in the Middle East, Europe and the CIS.
Since last year, Turkey has been conducting large-scale anti-drug operations. In October, approximately 20 popular artists and their relatives were detained to testify in similar cases. Earlier this year, actor Dogukan Günger, known for his role in the TV series "Cranberry Sherbet," was arrested.
Among the latest figures in drug cases were also former chairman of the board of the Beşiktaş football club Fikret Orman and former president of Galatasaray Burak Elmas.
