Founding member of Turkish DEVA party jailed for political espionage
The logo of the DEVA outside its headquarters, Ankara, Türkiye, April 27, 2022. (AA Photo)
by Daily Sabah
Jun 02, 2025 2:03 pm


A former soldier and one of the founding members of Türkiye’s Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA) has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for political espionage, security sources said Monday.

Metin Gürcan obtained secret state information to serve foreign mission representatives, according to the indictment.

Gürcan sold sensitive information regarding Türkiye’s military operations in Syria and Iraq; its observation points, military unity and their movements, as well as Turkish military force and activities in Libya, military units stationed in other countries, the indictment said.

The ex-soldier turned politician also stole information about the contents of meetings held on Türkiye’s foreign policy and armed drones.

In this picture released by Turkish authorities, Metin Gürcan (L) is seen allegedly speaking with a foreign mission representative at an undisclosed location. (IHA Photo)

As part of an investigation launched by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in 2021, Gürcan was first detained in Istanbul on Nov. 26, 2021, and arrested on charges of political espionage days later.

In his statement to the prosecutors in 2021, Gürcan reiterated that he had worked for the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) for a long time and that he had started giving consultancy services to people and institutions in 2019.

He claimed his consultancy services included both Türkiye and neighboring countries, while he said that the information he gave out within this scope was open to everyone and did not include any secret documents.

He mentioned that he regularly met diplomats in Ankara and was paid for the analysis he presented.

After being released in 2022 pending trial, Gürcan was sentenced to 16 years and eight months in an Ankara prison in a trial that concluded on May 23, 2025, security sources said.

Gürcan, a retired member of the TSK, helped establish DEVA with Ali Babacan, a former deputy prime minister and minister under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

DEVA was a member of a six-party electoral alliance led by the main opposition, Republican People's Party (CHP), which challenged Erdoğan and his Justice and Development Party (AK Party) during the 2023 elections. The party currently has 15 seats in Parliament.