ALBAWABA - Ece Erken and Birsen Altuntaş returned to headlines after a court ruling sparked controversy.
A long-running controversy involving Turkish presenter Ece Erken, journalist Birsen Altuntaş, and the late lawyer Şafak Mahmutyazıcıoğlu's former wife, Benan Kocadereli, has returned to the spotlight.
The latest development concerns a protection order that Ece Erken had obtained against journalist Birsen Altuntaş. According to reports in Turkish media, the decision was later overturned following an appeal, reigniting discussion about a years-long legal and personal dispute that has frequently made headlines.
To understand the latest controversy, many Turkish outlets have revisited the events that began in 2020.
At the time, Ece Erken was in a relationship with lawyer Şafak Mahmutyazıcıoğlu while his divorce process from Benan Kocadereli was still ongoing. The situation reportedly created tension between Erken and Kocadereli.
According to court documents cited by Turkish media, an incident took place on January 17, 2020. Reports alleged that Erken went to the residence of Benan Kocadereli and damaged the side mirror of her vehicle. The incident later became the subject of a criminal case.
Turkish media also reported that Erken allegedly sent messages to Kocadereli during the same period. One of the messages reportedly read, "Look, Şafak is with me at this hour," accompanied by a photograph. These allegations later became part of the legal file.
Following Kocadereli's complaint, prosecutors launched an investigation, and Erken faced charges of insult and property damage. The case was heard before an Istanbul criminal court. During the proceedings, Erken denied the accusations against her.
The court eventually acquitted Erken of the insult charge. However, she was fined 30,000 Turkish lira for property damage related to the vehicle mirror incident.
The legal process did not end there.
Erken appealed the ruling. An appellate court later upheld her acquittal on the insult charge but returned the property damage file to the lower court. Judges ruled that additional legal considerations should be evaluated, including whether compensation for the damage had been paid and whether provisions related to effective remorse should apply. The case is therefore set to be heard again.
The controversy resurfaced recently after journalist Birsen Altuntaş reported on the developments in the mirror damage case.
Following the publication of those reports, tensions between Erken and Altuntaş escalated. Turkish media reported that Altuntaş filed a criminal complaint, alleging that social media users targeted her with insulting remarks. Reports also stated that Erken later paid a judicial prepayment in connection with the matter, preventing a separate prosecution from proceeding.
The dispute then took another turn when Erken obtained a protection order against Altuntaş. However, Turkish media reports indicate that the court later revoked the order after reviewing the objections and supporting documents.
The latest ruling has once again placed the years-long dispute under public scrutiny. While the legal battles continue, the original vehicle damage case remains unresolved and is expected to return to court in the coming period.
For now, the dispute involving Ece Erken, Birsen Altuntaş, and Benan Kocadereli continues to be one of the most closely followed legal controversies in Turkish entertainment media.
