Turkish judicial authorities have launched a comprehensive examination of millions of newly released documents concerning convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, focusing specifically on potential connections to child trafficking operations within Turkey. The Ankara Public Prosecutor’s Office initiated this formal investigation in December following parliamentary inquiries from opposition lawmakers.
The probe gained significant momentum after the U.S. Department of Justice released approximately three million documents last Friday, providing Turkish prosecutors with substantial new evidence to review. This development comes amid growing political pressure for an extensive parliamentary investigation into whether Turkish children were among Epstein’s victims.
Bugra Kavuncu, spokesperson for the opposition Iyi Party, emphasized the urgency of establishing a special parliamentary commission. “We propose the urgent establishment of a parliamentary commission to investigate whether there are any Turkish children who were victims in the Epstein case,” Kavuncu stated, adding that such matters transcend political considerations and represent fundamental humanitarian concerns.
The investigation has drawn attention to alarming domestic statistics cited by Dogan Bekin, a parliamentarian from the right-wing Yeniden Refah party. Official data from the Turkish Statistical Institute indicates that between 2008 and 2016, some 104,531 children were reported missing nationwide, with young girls constituting the majority of these cases.
Bekin has submitted formal inquiries to multiple government ministries, demanding clarification on whether any children were victimized by Epstein’s criminal network and what inspection measures have been implemented in schools and orphanages to identify potential victims. The lawmaker also questioned whether Epstein had established contacts with Turkish politicians, administrators, or high-ranking officials.
The document release has revealed several connections between Epstein and Turkish political figures, though no evidence suggests involvement in wrongdoing. Emails from American businessman Tom Pritzker indicate he facilitated communication between Epstein and then-Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in 2010. However, representatives from Davutoglu’s Future Party have denied any substantive relationship, characterizing the interaction as a brief encounter related to diplomatic affairs.
Additional correspondence shows Epstein mentioning potential contact with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2011, though other emails reveal the financier’s critical views of the Turkish leader, leaving the seriousness of this reference uncertain.
The unfolding investigation represents Turkey’s response to the global repercussions of the Epstein document release, which has triggered political turmoil and resignations internationally as numerous public figures face scrutiny over their associations with the convicted sex offender.