Nalin Öztekin
Mehmet Ağar, a former director general of Turkey's national police and later justice minister, has been ordered to testify as a witness in the "Umut case," which investigates the assassinations of prominent intellectuals and public figures, including journalist Uğur Mumcu, legal scholar Muammer Aksoy, academic Bahriye Üçok, and former minister Ahmet Taner Kışlalı. The decision came during the 11th hearing of the case, held at the Ankara 5th High Criminal Court.
The session was attended by Uğur Mumcu's wife, Güldal Mumcu, his daughter, Özge Aybars Mumcu, and their legal team, including lawyers Turgut Kazan and Yalçın Akbal. However, the lawyer representing one of the defendants, Oğuz Demir, submitted an excuse and was absent.
Defense demands accountability from Mehmet Ağar
During the hearing, lawyer Turgut Kazan argued that Mehmet Ağar, who was the police chief at the time of Uğur Mumcu's assassination in 1993, holds critical information about the events and should testify. Kazan pointed to a chain of political assassinations between 1993 and 1996, leading up to the infamous Susurluk scandal—a car crash that exposed links between state officials, organized crime, and paramilitary groups.
"Mehmet Ağar played a central role during that period. From the start, the investigation was mishandled. Ağar knows what happened and who was responsible, but he has refused to act, claiming, 'I cannot remove the brick,' implying he cannot expose the truth because it might collapse the entire system," Kazan said. He also cited the Susurluk report, which implicated Ağar in these events, and accused authorities of failing to properly investigate defendant Oğuz Demir, alleging efforts to shield him from justice.
Kazan referenced a conversation between Güldal Mumcu and Mehmet Ağar from 1996, which Güldal later recounted in her book. According to her account:
- Güldal Mumcu: "We are constantly facing obstacles. It feels like a wall is being built."
- Mehmet Ağar: "Yes, Güldal, a wall is being built."
- Güldal Mumcu: "Then remove a brick so the wall collapses."
- Mehmet Ağar: "I cannot."
- Güldal Mumcu: "Then step aside after removing the brick."
- Mehmet Ağar: "I cannot do that either."
- Güldal Mumcu: "Perhaps you can form a new investigation team."
- Mehmet Ağar: "Sorry, Güldal, I cannot."
Testimony and further investigation ordered
Speaking at the hearing, Güldal Mumcu confirmed that she met with Mehmet Ağar at her home in 1996, along with her lawyer, to seek answers. "He told me directly, 'I cannot remove the brick,'" she said.
Lawyer Yalçın Akbal emphasized further suspicions surrounding defendant Oğuz Demir, who disappeared in 2000 after evading a police checkpoint in Sincan. Akbal alleged that Demir had been tipped off in advance and requested a thorough investigation into the movements of Demir and his associates within Turkey.
Next steps in the case
Following the defense statements, the court ruled that Mehmet Ağar will be summoned to testify at the next hearing. Additionally, the court requested a detailed investigation from the General Directorate of Security into the movements of Oğuz Demir and his close associates.
The next hearing is scheduled for May 12, setting the stage for a confrontation between Mehmet Ağar and the Mumcu family. The case, which has dragged on for decades, remains a focal point in Turkey's unresolved political assassinations of the 1990s, a period marked by deep state operations and systemic corruption.
