Bilal Erdogan

In this article, we shall provide a biography of Bilal Erdogan, the son of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Given the economic influence that Bilal Erdogan has in Turkey, it is necessary to spend time discussing Bilal Erdogan, and his political and economic influence in Turkey.

Who is Bilal Erdogan?

Bilal Erdogan is the son of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He is currently studying for his Ph.D. in Bologna, Italy.

Bilal Erodgan and the Politics of Turkey

2013 Corruption Accusations

While Bilal Erdogan is not directly involved in electoral politics, he has been a part of a couple of highly controversial domestic and international relations issues in/related to Turkey. For example, Bilal Erdogan’s name came up during the 2013 corruption allegations against members of the Turkish government. According to reports, “[s]everal documents and audio recordings apparently reinforcing the corruption-related allegations had been anonymously leaked over the Internet. These leaks included phone calls purported to be between then Prime Minister Erdogan and his son Bilal (Erdogan vigorously denies the calls’ authenticity) discussing the transfer of large sums of money. Erdogan and his AKP colleagues alleged the existence of an operation to monitor their communications, possibly with outside help—reinforcing conspiracy theories regarding U.S. or other international involvement.” (Zanotti, 2015: 4). Human Rights Watch (2014) reported of the issue, saying that “Beginning on December 17, 2013, the first investigations, which triggered mass arrests in Istanbul, involved credible allegations of bribe-taking and forgery of documents in relation to gold-smuggling and a separate investigation into corruption in the construction/real estate sector. Key suspects implicated were a young Iranian businessman, a bank director, four cabinet ministers, and the sons of three of the ministers. The ministers had to resign their posts, though they enjoy parliamentary immunity from prosecution; their sons, the bank director, and the Iranian businessman were placed in pretrial detention. A third investigation began on December 25 and implicated the former prime minister’s son Bilal Erdoğan, among 95 others, in a series of offenses including bribe-taking.”

Accusations about Bilal Erdogan and ISIS Oil

In the 2015 disputes between Russia and Turkey, following Turkey taking down a Russian aircraft that had encroached into Turkish territory, Russia made an allegation saying that Bilal Erdogan was making money off of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria oil seized in Syria. According to reports, “Moscow last week alleged that oil from ISIL was transferred to a Tüpraş refinery in the southeastern province of Batman. In his first statement since he was implicated in illegal oil trade, Bilal also denied the Russian allegations that he and his family were profiting from the illegal smuggling of ISIL oil. Russia’s defense ministry said last week it had proof that the Erdoğan family was benefiting from ISIL oil trade. “We build offices in İstanbul … We do not do business in the Mediterranean, in Syria or Iraq,” Bilal was quoted as saying in Corriere della Sera, talking about his own corporate concerns, which have been called into question by Russian media. Russian media reports suggested Bilal was directly involved in oil trade with ISIL and that Turkey downed the Russian jet to protect this oil smuggling business” (Hava, 2015).

Bilal spoke out against these allegations, saying that “”We build offices in İstanbul … We do not do business in the Mediterranean, in Syria or Iraq” (Today’s Zaman, 2015). In addition, “Bilal told the Italian daily on Tuesday his company had a contract to build “river tankers” for a Russian client, but it did not operate the ships itself. He also denied that his brother Burak might have transported oil from lands controlled by ISIL. “He has a cargo ship, but it cannot be used as a tanker” (Hava, 2015). 

President Erdogan also responded to the statement made by Russia with regards to his son, Bilal Erdogan, saying that ““My son has nothing to do with oil. He is active in a small-scale business in the food sector. [They say] my daughter treats injured ISIL members in Turkey and sends them back. All of them are lies. This is cowardice” (Today’s Zaman, 2015).

Some have even suggested that the reason that Bilal Erdogan moved (with his family) to Italy is not primarily to study, but because of the corruption allegations that he faced in late 2014. And the rival CHP party, for example, has continued to press this issue. For example, On October 9th, 2015, it was reported that 

“Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) İstanbul deputy Eren Erdem has submitted a parliamentary question for interim Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu over allegations that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s son Bilal left Turkey for Italy armed with large sums of cash.” Erdem was quoted as saying ““He is in Italy for his doctoral studies. What is it you say, he made off to Italy with 1 billion dollars! What kind of a lie is that? These people are ill-mannered.” Erdem then cited allegations in the Italian media that Bilal Erdoğan had fled Turkey because of corruption accusations put that went public on Dec. 17 and 25, 2013.” He went on to say that  “Is [President] Erdoğan’s use of the phrase ‘1 billion dollars,’ despite the fact that [Twitter whistleblower] Fuat Avni uttered [his] claims without giving any figure, a confession?” The belief by some in the CHP is that Bilal Erdogan took a billion dollars to Italy, although again, this has not been proved in court.

But it does show that the issue related to Bilal Erdogan is highly contested in Turkey today.

 

Bilal Erdogan References

Hava, E. (2015). Koç Holding reiterates no ties to ISIL oil as Erdoğan’s son speaks. Today’s Zaman. Available Online: http://www.todayszaman.com/business_koc-holding-reiterates-no-ties-to-isil-oil-as-erdogans-son-speaks_406443.html

Human Rights Watch (2014). Turkey’s Human Rights Rollback: Recommendations for Reform. Available Online: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/turkey0914_ForUpload.pdf

Today’s Zaman (2015). Erdogan calls allegations about his children slanderous. December 13, 2015. Available On http://www.todayszaman.com/national_erdogan-calls-allegations-about-his-children-slanderous_406823.html

Zanotti, J. (2015). Turkey: Background and U.S. Relations. Congressional Research Service Report. October 5, 2015. Available Online: https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/R41368.pdf