The Turkish Cypriot community has been watching in dismay as a major scandal involving fake university diplomas and corruption has now spread to the security forces’ command after officers in the north’s General Directorate of Police allegedly used false documents to get promotions.
Lieutenant Colonel Özgür Alp of the Security Forces was remanded in custody for two days by the Morphou District Court in the Turkish occupied north, it was reported on Wednesday.
Alp allegedly circulated a fake diploma, which he submitted in pursuit of a promotion within the Turkish military.
During interrogation, it was discovered that the doctorate diploma presented by Alp was indeed counterfeit.
The fake diploma was purportedly awarded by the Cyprus Health and Social Sciences University (Kibris Saglik ve Toplum Bilimleri Universitesi KSTU) in Morphou.
Earlier last week, a high-ranking police officer, and member of Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar’s security detail, Serif Avcil, was arrested over a fake diploma. Avcil remains in custody.
The incidents come to add more episodes to a larger scandal involving fake diplomas and fraud involving the KSTU university in Morphou, reigniting debate about the prevalent corruption within the Turkish Cypriot higher education sector.
Notably, earlier last month, three officials of KSTU and a senior civil servant were arrested following a report to the police by the university’s owners, prompted by an internal audit revealing embezzlement and fraud through fake student registrations and diplomas.
The university is owned by Levent Uysal, a deputy in the Turkish Grand National Assembly representing the far-right National Movement Party (MHP).
Among those arrested is Celebi Ilik, former head of the Turkish Cypriot registrar of cooperative companies and former undersecretary of the ministry responsible for labour and social security.
It has emerged that Ilik also possesses fake graduate and post-graduate diplomas from the same university. He is facing charges related to forgery of documents, circulation of forged documents, and solicitation of funds through fraud.
Civil service promotion
Ilik allegedly used his fake diplomas to secure promotions and pay raises in the civil service.
A recent report by the Turkish left-wing daily Birgun alleges that Uysal, the university’s owner, attempted to obtain a €45 mln loan from Swiss IntaCapital bank with fake documents in 2022.
However, Uysal reportedly evaded judicial proceedings by getting elected to parliament in May 2023.
Additionally, Turgay Avci, chairman of the Turkish Cypriot higher education watchdog Yodak, is under investigation over allegations that his diploma is fake. During a recent hearing in December, Avci failed to present his diploma in court.
YÖDAK, the quality assurance agency in the north, joined the European Consortium for Accreditation in higher education as an observer in 2021.
Furthermore, documents revealed by former Turkish Cypriot chief negotiator and head of People’s Party HP Kudret Ozersay suggest that another university, Dunya Baris Universitesi (World Peace University) owned by Altinbas Holding, is operating illegally.
This revelation has led to investigations into irregularities concerning a real estate purchase in Kyrenia involving Altinbas Holding, one of Turkey’s largest organisations active in various sectors, including jewellery and finance.
Altinbas Holding has had its share of publicity, as in another related incident that took place in September 2020, Turkish authorities conducted an operation against a network allegedly involved in fuel profiteering by falsely claiming ownership of non-existent ships in 12 provinces based in Istanbul.
Businessmen Ali Altınbaş and Sofu Altınbaş were detained in connection with this operation and accused of establishing and participating in a criminal organisation, aggravated fraud, and forgery of official documents.
