Your trusted source

Of the 25 detained employees of Petkim Petrokimya Holding A.S. petrochemical company, 13 have been arrested in Turkey in the frameworks of the criminal case regarding the so-called FETO terroristic organization. The controlling interest of the company belongs to the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), Azerbaijani news agency Turan reports citing Turkish media.

According to the information, Sadettin Korkut, the company’s former chief executive officer, has been arrested. He was dismissed back on July 27.

A number of high-ranking officials have also been arrested. There are also Azerbaijani citizens among them: Ilgar Mehmetoglu – the deputy CEO of the Azerbaijani State Oil company’s subsidiary SOCAR Turkiye, Memduh Taslicali – the public relations manager of Petkim Petrokimya Holding A.S., Raqif Farajov – the human resources manager, Selim Bal – the procurement manager, and Ibrahim Aydin – the sales manager. Twelve more people have been released on their own recognizance.

Turan highlights that Azerbaijan’s General Prosecutor’s Office informed yesterday about initiating a criminal case against Fetullah Gulen’s supporters in Azerbaijan. “Judging by today’s news from Turkey, Azerbaijan’s General Prosecutor’s Office should look for Gulen’s supporters in SOCAR rather than in the opposition camp,” the agency writes.

At the night of July 16, FETO organized a coup attempt in Turkey. Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the US-based Islamic opposition cleric Fetullah Gulen of organizing the putsch. Gulen denied his involvement in the coup attempt and even stated that the rebellion could have been staged by the government of the country.

In addition to this, Haqqin.az reports that searches are carried out in Akfa Holding, a company which has worked in Azerbaijan for many years. Arrest warrant has been issued against its manager Fatih Aktas. Fatih Aktas and his holding have been accused of collaborating with Fetullah Gulen on several occasions. Akfa Elektrik company has been operating in Azerbaijan since 1994. It deals with sales and installation of electric equipment.

Fethullah Gulen is the leader of the religious-philosophical sect Nur. He also owns large industrial and financial companies and holdings worldwide.

In 2014, official circles in Turkey have provided the Azerbaijani government a list of high-ranking officials of Azerbaijan in the administration of President Ilham Aliyev and the Azerbaijani government, which include or are related with such religious direction, as Nursizm. The list of officials recruited by the sect of Fethullah Gulen include, the head of Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan Elnur Aslanov, SOCAR vice president Khalig Mammadov, chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations Elshad Isgandarov, his deputy Gunduz Ismailov, Youth and Sports Deputy Minister Intigam Babayev, MP Jeyhun Osmanli, CSR Director under the Presidential Administration Farhad Mammadov, Chairman of the Youth Foundation Farhad Hajiyev.